Pirate 'mother ship' lurking off the coast of Somalia

Hammock Parties · 11-12-2005, 05:16 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa...hip/index.html

CNN) -- Officials are searching for a "mother ship" believed to be used to launch high-speed boats for several recent pirate attacks off Somalia.

Since November 5, when pirates tried unsuccessfully to attack a 440-foot cruise liner operated by Seabourn Cruise Lines, at least five other attacks have taken place, most of them northeast of Somalia, said Andrew Mwangura, program coordinator at the Kenyan Seafarer's Association.

Overall, he said, seven ships and crews have been taken into captivity in that section of the Indian Ocean.

Fishermen in the area spotted a "pirate mother ship" drifting off the Somali coast in July, on November 5 and earlier this week, Mwangura said. Only one mother ship has been spotted, but there may be more in existence. Officials think the smaller boats used in attacks are launched from the mother ship, he said.

A crew of more than 10 people, including a captain and engineer, are believed to be on the ship. The crew is believed to be well-organized, Mwangura said.

"We are trying to call up the coalition forces to track the vessel and to get pictures of the mother ship," he said.

Earlier this week, the director of the International Maritime Bureau, appealed to vessels off the Somali coasts to come to the aid of ships under attack in a statement citing an "alarming rise" in the number of piracy attacks in the area.

"At the very least," said Capt. Pottengal Mukundan, IMB director, "they can prevent the hijackers from taking these ships into Somali waters. Once the vessels have entered these waters, the chances of any law enforcement is negligible."

Twenty-five pirate attacks have been reported in the past six months, the statement said. "In one incident, a ship was lured into danger by pirates firing bogus distress flares."

In the attempted cruise liner attack, pirates were in two boats and armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, Deborah Natansohn, president of Seabourn Cruise Lines, told CNN at the time. (Watch passengers recall their encounter with ocean marauders -- 2:34)

The northern and southern coastline of Somalia -- Africa's longest -- links trade routes for key commodities like oil, grains and iron ore from the Gulf and Red Sea region down to the Mozambique Channel. Thousands of merchant ships snake down the Somali coast to the Cape of Good Hope every year.

Some of the world's leading shipping bodies called on the U.N. to urgently address the issue.

The piracy watchdog has warned merchant ships to stay at least 200 nautical miles away from the Somali coast -- an admonition that has gone unheeded.

After two years of relative calm, 32 pirate attacks have been recorded since mid-March, including raids on ships carrying supplies for the U.N. World Food Program.

Somalia has been ruled by rival warlords since dictator Mohammed Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991. Many of the warlords are believed to run gangs who smuggle drugs, weapons and people by road, sea and air around the region.

Piracy is a lucrative and growing offshoot of this trade.

On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council criticized Somalia's squabbling government and urged rival factions to work to confront the chaos and piracy plaguing the lawless nation.

The council expressed "serious concern" about the recent wave of pirate attacks off the coast, and urged regional powers and international bodies to address the problem urgently.

dtebbe · 11-12-2005, 05:55 PM

Sounds like a nice "training" misson for one of our fast-attack subs. Those bastards would never know what hit em'....

DT

**Dunit35** · 11-12-2005, 05:56 PM

Its that d*mn movie Pirates of the Carribean that is doing it. Except its in updated version with machine guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers.

**Rain Man** · 11-12-2005, 07:01 PM

Along the lines of dtebbe's statement, it seems like the Navy would find this ship's location via satellite and just casually mention it to one of the destroyers or cruisers en route to the Persian Gulf. I'll bet no one would miss them.

Frazod · 11-12-2005, 07:06 PM

Damn, and I was so looking forward to taking the Princess cruise to Somalia. I hear it's lovely this time of year.

**Rain Man** · 11-12-2005, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

Damn, and I was so looking forward to taking the Princess cruise to Somalia. I hear it's lovely this time of year.

I bet they don't charge sales taxes there when you buy beads and stuff.

CHIEF4EVER · 11-13-2005, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

Damn, and I was so looking forward to taking the Princess cruise to Somalia. I hear it's lovely this time of year.

Something tells me they would take one look at you and go find easier pickins...........

go bo · 11-12-2005, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Along the lines of dtebbe's statement, it seems like the Navy would find this ship's location via satellite and just casually mention it to one of the destroyers or cruisers en route to the Persian Gulf. I'll bet no one would miss them.

that's right...

live action training is very beneficial for a destroyer crew...

even a frigate would be sufficient...

perhaps one aircraft with a precision bomb would be more efficient...

i hope they get some good "gun camera" footage from that one...

**Bowser** · 11-12-2005, 09:48 PM

We should just send down the Monty Python foot on them.

kregger · 11-13-2005, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowser

We should just send down the Monty Python foot on them.

Better yet, the killer rabbit from Holy Grail

Simplex3 · 11-13-2005, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Along the lines of dtebbe's statement, it seems like the Navy would find this ship's location via satellite and just casually mention it to one of the destroyers or cruisers en route to the Persian Gulf. I'll bet no one would miss them.

CNN would. Just wait, the day we sink that ship we'll find out it was a wedding cruise at 3am with guns.

11-12-2005, 07:04 PM

I'm going to be incredibly disappointed if they don't say "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" upon boarding.

Simplex3 · 11-13-2005, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia

I'm going to be incredibly disappointed if they don't say "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" upon boarding.

They're much more likely to say "Praise Allah!".

11-13-2005, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplex3

They're much more likely to say "Praise Allah!".

Thank you for ruining my day.

Simplex3 · 11-13-2005, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia

Thank you for ruining my day.

Maybe they say "AAAaaarrgh, praise Allah.".

11-12-2005, 05:16 PM	Topic Starter
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $4740478	Pirate 'mother ship' lurking off the coast of Somalia http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa...hip/index.html CNN) -- Officials are searching for a "mother ship" believed to be used to launch high-speed boats for several recent pirate attacks off Somalia. Since November 5, when pirates tried unsuccessfully to attack a 440-foot cruise liner operated by Seabourn Cruise Lines, at least five other attacks have taken place, most of them northeast of Somalia, said Andrew Mwangura, program coordinator at the Kenyan Seafarer's Association. Overall, he said, seven ships and crews have been taken into captivity in that section of the Indian Ocean. Fishermen in the area spotted a "pirate mother ship" drifting off the Somali coast in July, on November 5 and earlier this week, Mwangura said. Only one mother ship has been spotted, but there may be more in existence. Officials think the smaller boats used in attacks are launched from the mother ship, he said. A crew of more than 10 people, including a captain and engineer, are believed to be on the ship. The crew is believed to be well-organized, Mwangura said. "We are trying to call up the coalition forces to track the vessel and to get pictures of the mother ship," he said. Earlier this week, the director of the International Maritime Bureau, appealed to vessels off the Somali coasts to come to the aid of ships under attack in a statement citing an "alarming rise" in the number of piracy attacks in the area. "At the very least," said Capt. Pottengal Mukundan, IMB director, "they can prevent the hijackers from taking these ships into Somali waters. Once the vessels have entered these waters, the chances of any law enforcement is negligible." Twenty-five pirate attacks have been reported in the past six months, the statement said. "In one incident, a ship was lured into danger by pirates firing bogus distress flares." In the attempted cruise liner attack, pirates were in two boats and armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, Deborah Natansohn, president of Seabourn Cruise Lines, told CNN at the time. (Watch passengers recall their encounter with ocean marauders -- 2:34) The northern and southern coastline of Somalia -- Africa's longest -- links trade routes for key commodities like oil, grains and iron ore from the Gulf and Red Sea region down to the Mozambique Channel. Thousands of merchant ships snake down the Somali coast to the Cape of Good Hope every year. Some of the world's leading shipping bodies called on the U.N. to urgently address the issue. The piracy watchdog has warned merchant ships to stay at least 200 nautical miles away from the Somali coast -- an admonition that has gone unheeded. After two years of relative calm, 32 pirate attacks have been recorded since mid-March, including raids on ships carrying supplies for the U.N. World Food Program. Somalia has been ruled by rival warlords since dictator Mohammed Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991. Many of the warlords are believed to run gangs who smuggle drugs, weapons and people by road, sea and air around the region. Piracy is a lucrative and growing offshoot of this trade. On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council criticized Somalia's squabbling government and urged rival factions to work to confront the chaos and piracy plaguing the lawless nation. The council expressed "serious concern" about the recent wave of pirate attacks off the coast, and urged regional powers and international bodies to address the problem urgently.
Posts: 277,719

11-12-2005, 05:55 PM	#2
dtebbe 3M TA3 Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: SoFlo Casino cash: $9993039	Sounds like a nice "training" misson for one of our fast-attack subs. Those bastards would never know what hit em'.... DT
Posts: 4,305

11-12-2005, 05:56 PM	#3
Dunit35 Keepin it Real Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Oklahoma Casino cash: $1567045	Its that d*mn movie Pirates of the Carribean that is doing it. Except its in updated version with machine guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers.
Posts: 10,489

11-12-2005, 07:01 PM	#4
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3348491 VARSITY	Along the lines of dtebbe's statement, it seems like the Navy would find this ship's location via satellite and just casually mention it to one of the destroyers or cruisers en route to the Persian Gulf. I'll bet no one would miss them. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,281

11-12-2005, 07:06 PM	#5
Frazod WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $3155085	Damn, and I was so looking forward to taking the Princess cruise to Somalia. I hear it's lovely this time of year.
Posts: 119,484

11-12-2005, 09:48 PM	#9
Bowser sorta mod-ish Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: KC North Casino cash: $3471616	We should just send down the Monty Python foot on them.
Posts: 100,581

11-12-2005, 07:04 PM	#12
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	I'm going to be incredibly disappointed if they don't say "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" upon boarding.
Posts: n/a