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| Africa Horn |
| Somali pirates seize Thai vessels |
| 2010-04-21 |
| The unrelenting Somali pirates have hijacked three Thai fishing vessels with 77 crew members over the weekend, raising fears over the expansion of their territory. The spokesman for the EU anti-piracy naval force to Somalia, Commander John Harbour, confirmed the hijackings for Press TV on Tuesday. "This was in the Indian Ocean but far away from the east coast of Africa...This is the farthest hijacking to date. They are now operating near the Maldives and India," said Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of the Kenya-base maritime watchdog, East African Seafarers' Assistance Program. The three ships -- named Prantalay 11, 12 and 14 -- belong to a Thai-based company, PT Interfishery Ltd. The pirate-held vessels were reportedly heading towards the Somali coast. The Thai crew members are believed to be in good health. The naval mission patrolling the area since December 2008 has failed to stop the spread of piracy in one of the world's most important trade routes. The bold sea bandits are now launching more and more attacks south to the Seychelles and farther out towards India as piracy has turned into a lucrative business with cash ransoms worth millions of dollars. According to the International Maritime Bureau, Somali pirates were responsible for more than half of the reported global piracy attempts in 2009, and nearly all of the hijackings, with 47 successful captures. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 #2 Let's see: merchant mariners were protected by Navy Escorts in WW2, therefore arming cargo ships is only a variation of that same thing. Blackbeard Some WWII merchant marine vessels had deck guns and engaged in naval gunfire with the Axix vessels. WWII era Merchant Mariners were finally recognized as US Service Veterans a few years back, which enabled them to receive service recognition and VA care. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-04-21 17:49 |
| #2 Let's see: merchant mariners were protected by Navy Escorts in WW2, therefore arming cargo ships is only a variation of that same thing. Of course, the big issues are: Somali harborage of pirates, and indulgence of immigration of warload supporting Somalis. FYI: citizenship can be revoked if it is proven to have been obtained through "fraudulent misrepresentation." Every immigrant has to issue a solemn declaration, affirming that they have never supported terror. |
| Posted by: Blackbeard Phomoling4117 2010-04-21 17:30 |
| #1 From People's Daily: Andrew Mwangura, East Africa Coordinator of Seafarers Assistance Program (SAP) said the pirates hijacked MV Prantalay 11, 12, and 14 with 77 crew members onboard in one of the farthest-off- shore attacks to date. "The three fishing vessels were hijacked on Sunday and all have 77 Thai crew onboard," Mwangura told Xinhua by telephone from Mombasa. Mr. Mwangura, a Kenya-based ex-seaman, has long been the go-to-man for information on Somali-pirated ships. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2010-04-21 00:08 |