Money More idiots sail into pirate infested waters

chiefsnorth · 03-01-2011, 01:28 PM

Pirate: Captive Danes will die if rescue attempted

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Any attempt to rescue a Danish family captured by pirates in the Indian Ocean will result their deaths — just like the four American sailors slain by their captors last week, a Somali pirate warned Tuesday.

Maritime experts said the Danes — a couple with three teenage children aged 12 to 16 — placed themselves in grave danger by sailing into pirate-infested waters off Somalia's lawless coast despite warnings from naval forces struggling to police the area.

The family was captured Thursday by pirates along with two Danish adult crew members after sending a distress signal from their sailboat, the Danish government said, adding it was doing "everything in our power" to help them.

Abdullahi Mohamed, a pirate who told The Associated Press he has ties to the gang holding the Danish family, said they will be killed if any rescue operation was carried out. He specifically referred to the killings last week of four American hostages captured by pirates on their yacht.

Mohamed has provided reliable information to AP in the past on piracy.

The American deaths were a game-changer in the world of piracy. Somali pirates have captured hundreds of ships and thousands of crew members over the years — right now they have 660 hostages and some 30 vessels. But virtually all the hostages would be released unharmed after pirates negotiated multimillion-dollar ransoms for them and their ships.

Companies paid the ransoms with insurance money and rarely attempted rescue missions to ensure the safety of their employees. If a ship's owner was unable to pay the amount demanded, pirates would keep the boat and use it to stalk other vessels on the high seas.

Mohamed said pirates were discussing how much ransom to demand for the Danish hostages, and added that investors backing the pirate gang were angling for a large sum.

A British sailing couple was released in November after more than a year in captivity. Reports varied how much was paid for their release, but it was believed to be around $1 million. Pirates are now commanding roughly $5 million per hijacked ship.

The Danish family knew about the hijacking of the American yacht, according to a travel blog in which they chronicled their round-the-world journey that began in 2009. It was not clear, however, if they knew about the Americans' deaths.

"Of course, we talked quite a lot about it (the American hijacking) but this is far over thousands of kilometers (miles) away and the Arabian Sea that we sail in is the size of Europe," the family said a Feb. 20 posting on ING jordenrundt.info. ING is the name of their boat.
Two days later, the Americans were killed.

The Danish family's last posting on Feb. 23 — a day before their own hijacking — only said their journey was uneventful and "we have NOT been boarded by pirates."

The blog identified the family as Jan Quist Johansen, his wife Birgit Marie Johansen, their sons Rune and Hjalte and their daughter Naja. They are from Kalundborg, 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of Copenhagen.

The chairman of the Kalundborg yacht club, Ole Meridin Petersen, confirmed their names to The Associated Press. He called them "experienced sailors" and said they were planning to enter the Mediterranean from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal and get home by August.

That route would take the family through the Gulf of Aden, one of the most dangerous waterways in the world in terms of piracy.

The Johansens had been sending daily position and status updates by e-mail since Feb. 17 to the British Royal Navy's UK Maritime Trade Operations, which acts as a liaison for ships traveling through waters threatened by pirates, said Wing Cmdr. Paddy O'Kennedy, a spokesman for the European Union's anti-piracy force.

He said the EU Naval Force had written an open letter to European governments, yachting organizations and magazines warning of the dangers of sailing through the area threatened by pirates.

"We did everything we possibly could to advise the yachting fraternity of the danger," O'Kennedy said. "They (the family) were aware of the risks they were about to take."

The EU force and warships from other nations do not provide escorts for individual ships, although they do patrol a maritime corridor that ships are urged to stick to. Reporting a daily position, like the Johansens did, might give a warship a slightly quicker reaction time but even then that doesn't mean help could reach the boat under attack in time, he said.

"Even traveling in groups is not a protection for yachts. It's just a bigger target for the pirates," O'Kennedy said. "When you're on a yacht, it can take seconds from when (pirates) are seen to when they're on board."
Per Gullestrup, head of Danish shipowner Clipper, said it was "totally insane" for a yacht to sail on its own into waters where much bigger commercial ships often travel in convoys and hire armed guards for protection against pirates.

"They sailed right into the pirates' arms," said Gullestrup, whose company owns a cargo ship that was held by Somali pirates for more than two months in 2009.

Since 2008, there have been at least nine hijackings of private yachts in the region, said Hans Tino Hansen, who runs a company specializing in maritime security.

"Sailing boats and small private yachts are very difficult or impossible to secure against pirate attacks due to their low speed and low freeboard," Hansen said.

In the blog, family members wrote that they saw counter-piracy patrol planes flying overhead. "It is reassuring that they look after us," a Feb. 20 post said. A day earlier, the family blogged they had drawn up "a piracy plan for who does what if we are attacked."

Somali pirates have extended their range east and south after increased naval patrols in the Gulf of Aden.
The pirates have rarely captured families and children, but a 3-year-old boy was aboard a French yacht seized in 2009. French navy commandos attempted a rescue, but two pirates and the boy's father were killed in the operation. Four French citizens were freed, including the child.

Denmark's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday advised citizens against traveling in sailboats in the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and the northwestern Indian Ocean.

**BigMeatballDave** · 03-01-2011, 01:29 PM

JFC Are wealthy people just stupid?

chiefsnorth · 03-01-2011, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BCD

JFC Are wealthy people just stupid?

If stupid people were all given yachts, my commute would be a lot easier!

Bump · 03-01-2011, 01:36 PM

why would you sail into those waters without several mounted .50 cal machine guns on your boat? I'd go in there Rambo style if I were rich. Actually I would just stay away, but if I had to...

**Scorp** · 03-01-2011, 01:39 PM

Well........bye!

Mr. Laz · 03-01-2011, 01:39 PM

with all the satellite tech etc we have now how are these pirates not dead?

KCUnited · 03-01-2011, 01:57 PM

Waiting for Captain Stabbin' to sail in there and pound some Somali ass.

**Rain Man** · 03-01-2011, 01:57 PM

Just out of curiosity, how do small boats and yachts transit the Suez Canal or Panama Canal? It seems like it would be expensive and time-consuming to fill and empty locks. Do they have to pay for that, or is it free? It seems to me like ships would be paying for it.

Do they maybe have a run once a day for small boats where a whole bunch of them crowd in together and transit as a group, and split the cost?

I confess that I have no knowledge at all about the business of operating a large canal.

Frazod · 03-01-2011, 02:02 PM

Sometimes being a ****tard is fatal.

jd1020 · 03-01-2011, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bump

why would you sail into those waters without several mounted .50 cal machine guns on your boat? I'd go in there Rambo style if I were rich. Actually I would just stay away, but if I had to...

Seems a bit overkill when all you need is a flare gun.

Valiant · 03-01-2011, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laz

with all the satellite tech etc we have now how are these pirates not dead?

Because then the story would be about evil america. Overstepping its bounds and interfering with other countries. Damned if we do, damned if we don't.

Personally I would sink every pirate ship in the water then move closer and shell the pirate ports.

Lonewolf Ed · 03-01-2011, 02:08 PM

I am baffled why the Danes sailed their yacht where the pirates operate. They are a generally well informed people and know that the pirates take captives regardless of where they are from. Now, will the Danish government show any backbone and force the pirates to release them or will they puss out and pay? Denmark is a good ally of the USA, though they are small, but I am hoping they show some strength in the matter and try to handle it on their own, or at least assist in a NATO venture to free the people.

I'm sure it will be a topic of discussion when I get over to Denmark in May.

Sofa King · 03-01-2011, 02:10 PM

They seriously need to **** with someone bad. I'm thinking they should hijack some North Korean soldiers or something. perhaps even chinese or russian would do.

Over-Head · 03-01-2011, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BCD

JFC Are wealthy people just stupid?

for the most part

**Dartgod** · 03-01-2011, 02:14 PM

Perhaps we could convince the Phelps clan to take a cruise over there.
Posted via Mobile Device

03-01-2011, 01:28 PM
chiefsnorth Veteran Join Date: Apr 2010 Casino cash: $10004900	More idiots sail into pirate infested waters Pirate: Captive Danes will die if rescue attempted COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Any attempt to rescue a Danish family captured by pirates in the Indian Ocean will result their deaths — just like the four American sailors slain by their captors last week, a Somali pirate warned Tuesday. Maritime experts said the Danes — a couple with three teenage children aged 12 to 16 — placed themselves in grave danger by sailing into pirate-infested waters off Somalia's lawless coast despite warnings from naval forces struggling to police the area. The family was captured Thursday by pirates along with two Danish adult crew members after sending a distress signal from their sailboat, the Danish government said, adding it was doing "everything in our power" to help them. Abdullahi Mohamed, a pirate who told The Associated Press he has ties to the gang holding the Danish family, said they will be killed if any rescue operation was carried out. He specifically referred to the killings last week of four American hostages captured by pirates on their yacht. Mohamed has provided reliable information to AP in the past on piracy. The American deaths were a game-changer in the world of piracy. Somali pirates have captured hundreds of ships and thousands of crew members over the years — right now they have 660 hostages and some 30 vessels. But virtually all the hostages would be released unharmed after pirates negotiated multimillion-dollar ransoms for them and their ships. Companies paid the ransoms with insurance money and rarely attempted rescue missions to ensure the safety of their employees. If a ship's owner was unable to pay the amount demanded, pirates would keep the boat and use it to stalk other vessels on the high seas. Mohamed said pirates were discussing how much ransom to demand for the Danish hostages, and added that investors backing the pirate gang were angling for a large sum. A British sailing couple was released in November after more than a year in captivity. Reports varied how much was paid for their release, but it was believed to be around $1 million. Pirates are now commanding roughly $5 million per hijacked ship. The Danish family knew about the hijacking of the American yacht, according to a travel blog in which they chronicled their round-the-world journey that began in 2009. It was not clear, however, if they knew about the Americans' deaths. "Of course, we talked quite a lot about it (the American hijacking) but this is far over thousands of kilometers (miles) away and the Arabian Sea that we sail in is the size of Europe," the family said a Feb. 20 posting on ING jordenrundt.info. ING is the name of their boat. Two days later, the Americans were killed. The Danish family's last posting on Feb. 23 — a day before their own hijacking — only said their journey was uneventful and "we have NOT been boarded by pirates." The blog identified the family as Jan Quist Johansen, his wife Birgit Marie Johansen, their sons Rune and Hjalte and their daughter Naja. They are from Kalundborg, 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of Copenhagen. The chairman of the Kalundborg yacht club, Ole Meridin Petersen, confirmed their names to The Associated Press. He called them "experienced sailors" and said they were planning to enter the Mediterranean from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal and get home by August. That route would take the family through the Gulf of Aden, one of the most dangerous waterways in the world in terms of piracy. The Johansens had been sending daily position and status updates by e-mail since Feb. 17 to the British Royal Navy's UK Maritime Trade Operations, which acts as a liaison for ships traveling through waters threatened by pirates, said Wing Cmdr. Paddy O'Kennedy, a spokesman for the European Union's anti-piracy force. He said the EU Naval Force had written an open letter to European governments, yachting organizations and magazines warning of the dangers of sailing through the area threatened by pirates. "We did everything we possibly could to advise the yachting fraternity of the danger," O'Kennedy said. "They (the family) were aware of the risks they were about to take." The EU force and warships from other nations do not provide escorts for individual ships, although they do patrol a maritime corridor that ships are urged to stick to. Reporting a daily position, like the Johansens did, might give a warship a slightly quicker reaction time but even then that doesn't mean help could reach the boat under attack in time, he said. "Even traveling in groups is not a protection for yachts. It's just a bigger target for the pirates," O'Kennedy said. "When you're on a yacht, it can take seconds from when (pirates) are seen to when they're on board." Per Gullestrup, head of Danish shipowner Clipper, said it was "totally insane" for a yacht to sail on its own into waters where much bigger commercial ships often travel in convoys and hire armed guards for protection against pirates. "They sailed right into the pirates' arms," said Gullestrup, whose company owns a cargo ship that was held by Somali pirates for more than two months in 2009. Since 2008, there have been at least nine hijackings of private yachts in the region, said Hans Tino Hansen, who runs a company specializing in maritime security. "Sailing boats and small private yachts are very difficult or impossible to secure against pirate attacks due to their low speed and low freeboard," Hansen said. In the blog, family members wrote that they saw counter-piracy patrol planes flying overhead. "It is reassuring that they look after us," a Feb. 20 post said. A day earlier, the family blogged they had drawn up "a piracy plan for who does what if we are attacked." Somali pirates have extended their range east and south after increased naval patrols in the Gulf of Aden. The pirates have rarely captured families and children, but a 3-year-old boy was aboard a French yacht seized in 2009. French navy commandos attempted a rescue, but two pirates and the boy's father were killed in the operation. Four French citizens were freed, including the child. Denmark's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday advised citizens against traveling in sailboats in the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and the northwestern Indian Ocean.
Posts: 1,808

03-01-2011, 01:29 PM	#2
BigMeatballDave GBM 8-12-15 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Dayton, Oh. Casino cash: $10052154	JFC Are wealthy people just stupid?
Posts: 59,997

03-01-2011, 01:36 PM	#4
Bump YOU take YOUR seat Join Date: Nov 2007 Casino cash: $2155105	why would you sail into those waters without several mounted .50 cal machine guns on your boat? I'd go in there Rambo style if I were rich. Actually I would just stay away, but if I had to... __________________
Posts: 32,260

03-01-2011, 01:39 PM	#5
Scorp Whiskey Tango Foxtrot OVER! Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hell Casino cash: $6629000	Well........bye! __________________
Posts: 4,507

03-01-2011, 01:39 PM	#6
Mr. Laz Don't Tease Me Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: KS Casino cash: $11047037	with all the satellite tech etc we have now how are these pirates not dead? __________________
Posts: 95,626

03-01-2011, 01:57 PM	#7
KCUnited Cheat Death Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Land of Drincoln Casino cash: $2208244	Waiting for Captain Stabbin' to sail in there and pound some Somali ass.
Posts: 33,960

03-01-2011, 01:57 PM	#8
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3238491 VARSITY	Just out of curiosity, how do small boats and yachts transit the Suez Canal or Panama Canal? It seems like it would be expensive and time-consuming to fill and empty locks. Do they have to pay for that, or is it free? It seems to me like ships would be paying for it. Do they maybe have a run once a day for small boats where a whole bunch of them crowd in together and transit as a group, and split the cost? I confess that I have no knowledge at all about the business of operating a large canal. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,519

03-01-2011, 02:02 PM	#9
Frazod WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $3045085	Sometimes being a ****tard is fatal.
Posts: 119,511

03-01-2011, 02:08 PM	#12
Lonewolf Ed Veteran Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Olathe, KS Casino cash: $10606233	I am baffled why the Danes sailed their yacht where the pirates operate. They are a generally well informed people and know that the pirates take captives regardless of where they are from. Now, will the Danish government show any backbone and force the pirates to release them or will they puss out and pay? Denmark is a good ally of the USA, though they are small, but I am hoping they show some strength in the matter and try to handle it on their own, or at least assist in a NATO venture to free the people. I'm sure it will be a topic of discussion when I get over to Denmark in May.
Posts: 3,774

03-01-2011, 02:10 PM	#13
Sofa King Hello Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: South Dakota Casino cash: $992096 VARSITY	They seriously need to **** with someone bad. I'm thinking they should hijack some North Korean soldiers or something. perhaps even chinese or russian would do.
Posts: 23,225

03-01-2011, 02:14 PM	#15
Dartgod Wasted away again... Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: in Margaritaville Casino cash: $7330000	Perhaps we could convince the Phelps clan to take a cruise over there. Posted via Mobile Device
Posts: 51,127