Somali Pirates Blitz LiberianTanker

27 Crew Members Taken Hostage In Lightning Fast Attack; Three Security Guards Jump Ship, Rescued

(CBS/AP)  Somali pirates seized control of a chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden on Friday and a NATO helicopter gunship, too late to prevent the hijacking, picked up three security guards who jumped into the sea.

Both France and Germany, which have ships in the area as part of an international anti-piracy coalition, sent the aircraft after receiving a distress call just after dawn, French military spokesman Cmdr. Christophe Prazuck said. But in the 15 minutes it took to get to the site, the pirates had already boarded and had taken the crew of 25 Indians and two Bangladeshis hostage.

The two British guards who leapt overboard with their Irish colleague were safe onboard a French warship, he said.

Germany and France have ships in the area as part of a NATO fleet which, along with warships from Denmark, India, Malaysia, Russia and the U.S., have started patrolling the vast maritime corridor.

They escort some merchant ships and respond to distress calls in the fight against increasingly brazen pirate attacks off Somalia's coast, a major international shipping lane through which about 20 tankers sail daily. Friday's was the 97th ship hijacking this year.

One of the hijacked ships, the Malta-flagged cargo ship Centauri, was released Thursday with all 25 Filipino crew unharmed after more than two months in the hands of pirates, Greece announced.

The ship hijacked Friday, the Liberian-flagged MV Biscaglia, is operated out of Singapore, said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in Malaysia.

The pirates are growing bolder. Hugh Martin, manager of Hart Security, said 20 speedboats filled with pirates launched a simultaneous attack on two slow-moving companion vessels off the south coast of Yemen on Thursday. Hart staff onboard both ships were armed, but managed to use evasive maneuvers and non-lethal methods to prevent the pirates from boarding during the four hour attack.

On Friday, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said it was possible the U.N. might pass a new resolution with more aggressive rules of engagement.

"Even harsher sanctions, harsher measures, harsher calls to the international community may be passed," he told Russian TV channel Vesti-24. "It would give the possibility for more energetic actions by the naval forces of those countries, including Russia, that have dispatched their ships (to Somalia) for the fight against piracy."

[whitewolf60]

It''s the year 2008.... aren''t they a little OLD to be running around playing "pirate"????

[shanev137]

Why don''t any of these ships have weapons or armed security personnel on board? Do they just like being hijacked? I''d love to pick-off some of these skinnys in their little boats. Hire me, I''ll keep your boat safe.

[hunterdon6]

The shipping companies know by now that this is a bad area to travel. All they have to do is hire some snippers and the pirates wouldn''t get close to their ships.

[trishab56]

Are the United Nations to be blamed for not doing what they ought do: spread some world whealth to the African Continent. Make some states of the Union starve and see what will happen. If it''s not rioting and destruction, it will be piracy and theft. Survival is a more powerful than the respect of International laws designed to protect the filthy riches.

[earache4]

When will someone invent a fence or barrier that surrounds the rim of the deck of the boat (or just above the waterline) that makes boarding from a speedboat impossible?

Now the terrorists have WMDs available? Even if the pirates could be counted on not to sell their booty to the islamic thugs, those same islamic thugs have vowed to take the booty into custody in their war on the pirates. Either way, the world loses. Delay in the war against this thievery is at our own peril!

[jockh]

we spent hundreds of billions invading other countries under false weapons of mass destruction claims. why dont we spent a little to clear the pirates?

[libsh8theusa]

I guess two British security guards isn''t enough.. Now if they would of had 2 US MARINES or 24 US Army Dogs maybe they wouldn''t be having this problem..

[downsteamjim]

today''s news: Muslim pirates in Somalia, Muslim terrorists attack in India, Muslim suicide bomber in Iraq. What is the common denominator?

[libsh8theusa]

we spent hundreds of billions invading other countries under false weapons of mass destruction claims. why dont we spent a little to clear the pirates?

Posted by jockh

Because the US isn''t the worlds police force and I think America is coming to grips on this! Why don''t the countries of origin take care of their own boats.. ?

As for the WMD.. Let me ask you this.. If I tell the world that I have WMD and say that I will use them would you just walk away and let me alone? If I kill 100,000''s of my own people will you turn a blind eye to my actions? If you have a chance to set up democracy in an area that is known to cause the world a lot of trouble, that is governed by dictators would you rather walk away or set up a democracy in hopes that the area of trouble would change for the better and possibly allow world peace or at least peace in that area of the world..

[runningralph]

Islam authorizes crime whether it''s piracy, taking hostages in India, murdering people in buses, whatever. Islam is a way for criminals to gain legitimacy. Obama can stand with them if he wants to, but the rest of the world should see it for what it is. A way to legitimize crime.

[libsh8theusa]

IF you voted for Bush or McPalin you should be ashamed

Posted by pythoncharly

ewe are just mad because your not old enough to VOTE..

Time will tell if America made the right choice or not.. I just hope that if it wasn''t the right choice that Obama doesn''t mess things up REAL BAD..

[libsh8theusa]

IF you voted for Bush or McPalin you should be ashamed

Posted by pythoncharly

ewe are just mad because your not old enough to VOTE..

Time will tell if America made the right choice or not.. I just hope that if it wasn''t the right choice that Obama doesn''t mess things up REAL BAD..

[txlakeside]

usaadvisor ... you really are an idiot. Islam is a religion just as Christianity. Timothy McVeigh was a Christian. Does that make all Christians Terrorist? David Koresh was a Christian. Does that make all Christians terrorst? Christianity has some really ugly belivers just as any religion has fanatics. I know people that practice the Islamic or Muslim faith and they are by far superior Americans compared to you!

Idiots like you are whats wrong with this country. You listen to FOX and think just because you hear or read it it must me true. You are a perfect example of why OBAMA won. Americans are tired of ignorance, stupidity and hate!

[TommyCraig]

"And the powerful US Navy can not do a thing against
these "REAL" terrorists because the idiot conservatives
have the navy busy watching the "NON terrorists" in
IRAQ.
IF you voted for Bush or McPalin you should be ashamed"
Posted by pythoncharly at 09:33 AM : Nov 28, 2008
When has it been the US responsibility to control the pirates? If they did enterdiction, you would be complaining that the US is not the worlds police.

[drinuk]

Drop the BIG ONE on Somalia, teach the rest of ''em a lesson, Globally Warm ''Em Up !

[jsd330]

Liberian registered ship, then let the Liberians deal with it , or the owners of the ship. It''s not the job of the U.S. Navy to babysit non american assets.

[downtowner97]

When a guy in a power boat 3x faster than your ship has an antitank missile pointed at your fuel bunker, and you''re not allowed to have a gun, you stop and surrender.

[jowand]

The US Navy took on the responsibility of hunting pirates and controling safe sea fareing hundreds of
years ago, this is just one more area that the criminal bush administration has proved to be incompetant in,

Posted by pythoncharly at 10:57 AM : Nov 28, 2008

You''re just a hate spewing deranged Progressive whacko.

[jowand]

The Europeeing countries should be taking care of this problem. After all it is in their former colonial frontyard and mostly their oil going through these waters. Not enough to be our problem in the USA.

[jowand]

NOT ALL COSERVATIVES ARE NECESSARILY IGNORANT, BUT

MOST IGNORANT PEOPLE ARE CONSERVATIVE.

Posted by pythoncharly at 10:33 AM : Nov 28, 2008

You sure are ignorant looking at all of your posts.

[mikezembill]

What is the range of a antitank missile anyone know.

[michael0004]

I''m not sure I would necessarily blame the Bush Administration (even though he is the CINC), but it is certainly fair to ask (what the MSM seems to choose not to ask): Where is the world''s most powerful Navy during all this?

[toolmangler-2009]

I have one huge question, what is the chemical it is filled with???????

[toolmangler-2009]

The US and some others have small Aegis Weapons Systems that can be installed on the larger ships to ward off Pirates. These are compact units that can be set in place at the shipyard and strapped to the deck in a few hours. They are ready to go once fastened down.

[mikezembill]

The wo British guards were unloading there Johnson the brits are trying to build here sperm banks up.

[thisisfunny]

The two or three British security guards(goons) are such cowards that they jumped into the water to escape the pirates. That is being reported on another outlet. So all of you "tough" guys take a lesson don''t be a hero because five minutes later no one cares about you...Me included.

[mrmeatspin]

The opposite of ''''progress'''' is republiCON

Posted by pythoncharly at 12:51 PM : Nov 28, 2008
+ report abuse

*********

and liberals think they can save africa with Live8

[mrmeatspin]

The Karl Rove RepubliCON''''s are back,

watch for the LIE''''s to starts flying now!

Posted by pythoncharly at 12:37 PM : Nov 28, 2008
+ report abuse

*********

no more karl rove anymore buddy..its all ophra winfrey now, john colbert and david letterman..WE ARE GOING TO SAVE THESE POOR SOULS WITH SATIRE..

[mrmeatspin]

we are now going to witness how the liberals would fix this...

LIVE9...

[shanev137]

When a guy in a power boat 3x faster than your ship has an antitank missile pointed at your fuel bunker, and you''''re not allowed to have a gun, you stop and surrender.

Posted by downtowner97 at 11:41 AM : Nov 28, 2008

--------------


What?
Why?
And who said they can''t have weapons on board for protection?

Let me guess, you think Obama took their guns away.

[whitemale08]

All you have to do is trace the funding back to the British oligarchs.

They want world-trade to shut-down to create scarcity in everything and in that way they can take us back to the good ''ol fuedalism days of the Medievel Period where the last world-wide financial crisis of the Lombard Banking cartel collapsed.

Trace the money and be honest about who the enemy is and you will be able to defeat them.

[gce65]

Not much real information in this story. POOR REPORTING.

Where was it coming from and going to?

WHAT CARGO WAS ONBOARD?
SALT (NaCl)?
POTASH?
CHLORINE GAS?

Don''t run the story if you''re not going to provide even basic de3tails.

[downsteamjim]

whitemale08: If they trace back the hatred, they''ll find you and some Muslims.

[waqahi]

Read the posting below mine. I tell myself; there is so much venom, I am not even going to bother reading any. Screw you Religious fanatics hate mongers. Pupils of Pat Robertson and his like.

[downsteamjim]

Waqahi: Please list all the suicide bombers that Pat R. has sent out to kill innocent people. Maybe you thought he was Muslim.

[legacyabq]

wow a bona-fide "british-royal-family" conspiracy theorist on here..

Hows that fight against the NWO going?

[deckardbr]

What?
Why?
And who said they can''''t have weapons on board for protection?
Posted by shanev137 at 02:32 PM : Nov 28, 2008

The ACLU.

[downsteamjim]

Remember when the first G. Bush sent food to help the starving civilians in Somalia. Hardline Muslims seized the food for themselves.

[libsh8theusa]

The ACLU. ? Isn''t that a college football team.. in CA..

[libsh8theusa]

bush, cheney, mcpalin, belong in prison for war crimes,

and when they tortured innocent people they committed

crimes against America and the constitution,

these type of conservative evangelical republicons

are

UN American

Posted by pythoncharly

Your comments show us that your crack is the highest grade possible..

[downsteamjim]

Iwashungary: That is a tough assignment to list all the Muslim leaders who have sent out terrorists. Ayotollah K., the present President of Iran, Arafat,the Presdent of Syria, al Sadr, .... What the heck I will be here all day and still leave a bunch out.

[downsteamjim]

pythoncharly: Many of the ''innocents'' held at Gitmo were released and later killed on the battlefield. Maybe taking baths regularly drove them crazy..

[walt1944-2009]

Somali have once again hijacked another ship on the high seas.

Knowing that the Great Emperor Bush II will not send his navy after them, unless they were stupid enough to hijack a corporate yacht belonging to Corporate America or sink Rupert Murdoch''s "pleasure yacht", the Somali pirates are continuing their attacks on shipping in the Indian Ocean and getting rich from the proceeds.

Besides, the Great Emperor Bush II sees the Somali pirates as down to earth "businessmen" who are taking the concept of "FREE TRADE" to the NEXT LEVEL!!!

SIG HEIL, I ALWAYS LIKED PLAYING PIRATES WHEN I WASN''T SENDING FROGS TO THE MOON!!!, BUSH!!!

[downsteamjim]

walt: I was so worried that it was you involved with the theft of your hero''s golden book mark. Is it true you injured your arm doing a seig heil in a portalet? Happy Thanksgiving!

[centerfall94]

Nerve gas the ship. Two or three of those incidents and there won''t be any more pirate attacks.

[whitemale08]

whitemale08: If they trace back the hatred, they''''''''ll find you and some Muslims.

Posted by downsteamjim at 02:56 PM : Nov 28, 200--

Hey, Why don''t you tell your Lord and Saviour so-called Prince Charlie to practice his call for ''population reduction'' by himself in the privacy of his public-housing complex.

And then you and him can leave the rest of us human beings alone and in peace without your stupid ''globalization'' nonsense.

[jowand]

Name ALL of the muslims / Islamic leaders that have sent suicide bombers out in the name of Islam.

Or do you believe that THEY ALL are evil?

Posted by IwasHungry68 at 04:55 PM : Nov 28, 2008

It would be a much, much shorter list to name the ones who haven''t.

[jowand]

The real solution to this piracy thing is to have 20 or 30 pigs roaming around on the decks of each ship.

[runningralph]

Iwashungry68 wants a list of Muslim leaders that sent out suicide bombers in the name of Islam. I''ll play. Osama bin Laden, Ayatollah Khomeini, Saddam Hussein, Al zarkawi, Al queda, Hamas, Hezbollah, Moamar Khadafi, Yassir Arafat, on and on. I could come up with more with some research, but honestly there have been so many they all run together. I''ve been watching them since Sirhan Sirhan killed Bobby Kennedy.