Brit Couple Targeted by Pirates
October 27, 2009 - 11:17 AM | by: Greg Palkot
Those modern day brigands are at it again. Andrew Mwangura of the East Africa Seafarers’ Assistance confirming to Fox News the pleasure craft Lynn Rival with Brits Paul and Rachel Chandler on board has been seized and is heading to the central Somalian pirate lair of Harardheere.
The couple, in their sixties, were seized just a few days sail from the Seychelles Islands on the way to Tanzania as part of an “around the world” cruise. They apparently thought the seas were safe for travel.
Sky News is reporting two British navy ships are in the area and an intensive search is now underway. Officials believe they’ll have a clearer picture in the next 24 hours.
Pirates in the waters off Somalia had been laying low in recent months, with monsoon winds and rains making their illicit trade difficult. They are now ahead of last year’s pace.
While these totals may vary, there have been some 174 ships attacked off Somalia, 36 hijacked, 7 ships are still held, including 587 crew. Ransoms paid out this year total in the tens millions of dollars. Gun play is up as well
Despite the presence of dozens of international naval ships in the waters off Africa, Roger Middleton, shipping expert with the Chatham House UK tells us pirates have had “great success” hundreds of miles off the coast. It is less patrolled and an active shipping area.
The question now is can the hijacked vessel with the British couple on board be stopped before it reaches the haven of the African coat. No word on ransom demands.
new rules if we come across any small boats with a small of people that ALL have some kind of weapon we sink you !
and they should as I am sure we all agree arm up all the freighters very heavy with people that know what they are doing ! and any signs of someone trying to pirate is met with them sinking and not saving the people
Yesterday I read a want add for “maritime security” in that area of the world. The add actually indicated that the job was an UN-armed gig, 60.000 a year. I was truly amused.
why are people still going anywhere near the african coast without some kind of security? if you have the money to cruise the world, you probably have the money to purchase/provide protection for yourself. even if it was illegal for me to carry some kind of weapons out there, if i HAD to cruise by there, it might be worth finding a way to bend the law in my favor. i put a vote for darwinism on this one.
because governments tell us what to do, even when they can’t even defeat a bunch of bums in wooden fishing boats how about a daisy cutter on there base, and it seems the pirates have no trouble carrying guns
Why cant some of these Billion dollar shipping companies hire private contractors to guard the ship when at sea. It would seem like a no brainer to place these individuals aboard for strictly pirate duty? I am sure in the long run it will save the ships money in the long run instead of having one of their vessels overtaken.
Ky Cop
I just watched a old pirate movie last night .I like the way that any ship that the pirates came at all the cannons fired!!! No PC BS just blow them out of the water.hell just one or two well armed train men could stop these small boat they use.or just mount a mark 19 somewhere fire that at them they will run.
Like Vitamin C.
