Yacht Pirated

[Rick D]

A yacht on a circumnavigation was hijacked with four US citizens aboard. There is a SoCal connection through Del Rey YC in Marina del Rey. They were doing missionary work along the voyage; hope they didn't have a bunch of bibles left; not good in that area of the world.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41672888/ns/world_news-africa/

http://www.svquest.com/

 

[sinnettc]

I really don't understand why the combined naval might of the US & EU can't shut these pirates down. What a crock.

 

[jimmyb]

IMHO its like trying to swat a fly with a bazooka. These people dont have much to lose. I imagine it to be much like the war on drugs it is almost impossible to control, and in that senario the clarty of the boarders is greater yetl. At least with the large freighters my question would be why dont they defend THEMSELVES. Ok I will answer my own question. From what I hear the complications come from insurance companies and the variety of laws concerning weapons aboard the vessels when coming into foriegn ports. I have read many will not tollerate them. Boo Hoo, if it was my life on the line I would surely arm myself and find a good stash for my defenses when coming into port.

jimmyb

 

[jimmyb]

The bargaining of the hostages is quite the process. They are preformed by profesional negotiators. This is a full time business for them. They contact representatives of the pirate group that holds the hostiges and back and forth they go. It seems the pirates will rarely hold out for the full ransom and the negotiators push pretty hard on the bottom line. I saw a news program with the actual process filmed from both ends of the bargaining table (thousands of miles away of course). It is a long drawn out process with the pirates walking away from the table in frustration frequently but as they have little choice in the matter (not wise to kill hostages, they become quite worthless after that) they take what they can get.

jimmyb

 

[Bill Roosa]

Well...

I'd disagree with you Rick, Of all the places in the world where Bibles are needed the horn of Africa is one that needs them most.
Policing 25% of the Indian ocean is not what I'd call easy. To put this in perspective imagine trying to find a specific house somewhere in California and all you have to go on is "it has a brown roof" Satellites can't help and you basically have to catch them in the act to be able to do anything to them.
The most effective way to prevent this from happening is to maintain contact with the naval units in the area (like landing at a VFR airport) They get to expecting a daily check in and if they don't get it they go looking where for you.

 

[Roger Long]

I really don't understand why the combined naval might of the US & EU can't shut these pirates down.

Russian ships are no longer being hijacked. They heavily arm the crew and simply sink the boats leaving the surviving pirates swimming around in the ocean as they pull out of sight.

I'm a bleeding heart liberal but the engineering simplicity of this approach greatly appeals to me.

 

[shemandr]

Someone sent me a video clip of presumed Russian Military tying captured pirates to their vessel and then sinking it with explosives. It was grusome to watch. They weren't shy about what they were doing, hence the video. I guess it worked to stop attacks on Russian shipping.
In contrast we have an avenue of negotiation in place. That doesn't work.
I hope we will change our tactics but I know western states have little stomach for the kind of action that will stop this. We would rather pay them off and live with it. Its a shameful approach.

 

[kenn]

It's common knowledge that in some cities (American and elsewhere in the "first" world), there are parts of the city where, if it's not "your" place, you simply don't go there. Shocking that this could happen within civilized, wealthy countries. It should be less shocking that this is the case in a desperately poor and ungoverned part of the world.

Both problems are complex and multi-layered, and won't easily be solved - with might or otherwise.

Knowing the situation, why would ANYONE sail a small pleasure-yacht anywhere near the pirates' area? There's enough sailing in friendlier safer waters to last several lifetimes.

 

[Ctskip]

It seems that America is bending over backwards to be politically correct. Seems we don't want and won't offend anybody.

I say, if they want to play pirates, treat'em like pirates. Take their booty and set'em afloat with a gallon of water (so we don't offend anybody here). Russia doesn't care what their people think. The Russians know how to take care of business. America on the other hand, can't bend over far enough.

Any more and this will end up in the war room.

Keep it up,
Ctskip

 

[Rick D]

Updated Story

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110219/ap_on_re_af/af_piracy_captured_yacht

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

The most effective way to prevent this from happening is to maintain contact with the naval units in the area (like landing at a VFR airport) They get to expecting a daily check in and if they don't get it they go looking where for you.

Seems to me that doesn't prevent anything but only serves to expeditiously notify the government AFTER it has happened. Apparently, the Russians have devised an effective prevention practice. Maybe if the Navy announced some well-armed troops were sailing around the Gulf of Aden in pleasure craft waiting for pirates to drop by for a surprise, they might get a little less aggressive.

 

[KD3PC]

"it they go looking where for you."

very expensive to go "looking" over thousands of square miles and several days copter/plane time...don't ya think?

as Don and CT have suggested VERY inexpensive solutions - i.e. training exercises on some decoy boats would go a long way to solving this...once and for all...

so far it appears we just "pay tribute" like during Jefferson's time..and call it ransom money...

 

[RichH]

I think the current 'hostage count' of persons taken and held by the Somali pirates is something like 500+ persons (as some of the non-PC newsources are touting).

So, if this is even remotely close to the true numbers then why in hell would anyone even think or risk sailing in or near those waters?????

Knowingly sailing to such waters would be similar to sending your naked teenage daughter to walk alone at night on the streets of Baltimore or Washington DC ... doesnt make any sense and you KNOW with a very high probability of what is going to happen

 

[kenn]

The most effective way to prevent this from happening is to maintain contact with the naval units in the area (like landing at a VFR airport) They get to expecting a daily check in and if they don't get it they go looking where for you.

Filing a cruise plan and regular check-in's - that's good advice for any voyaging.

Still, it's a hell of alot to expect this kind of S&R or rescue effort mounted for people foolish enough to sail a small pleasure-boat into this part of the world. There are alot of possible ways to get yachts safely through this part of the world, if they absolutely must transit between the Med and the Indian ocean, that don't require putting half a navy on standby.

[edit - RichH gets it. ]

 

[KD3PC]

Rich and the group,

Having traveled a lot, and in that area some years back, perhaps I can shed some light....

most Americans have no clue about life/culture/law in other parts of the world, and having lived so long in our States...they ASSUME someone will do something to get their a?? out of a sling no matter where they step in it. The you add in the arrogance of american's and their religion, being PC, served by everyone, enjoying the easy life, flaunting their fortunes and voila - you end up in a pile of stuff half way around the world - where the rules you are used to simply don't apply and NO ONE cares that you are American.

By and large we need to get over ourselves, especially when in some other part of the world and realize that stuff happens, and often it is best to not even BE there when it does.

I wish them well, and hope that they are soon released unharmed, but you never know...

 

[Eddie7045]

Rich, yes, I agree. Very strange that a cruising yacht

would go into these waters. Some friends of mine took their boat down the West coast of Mexico, through the canal and up though the Caribbean. Their longest stretch was when they bypassed the ports of Colombia due to the dangers there. The freighters, have a different situation. So far, it is easier for them to pay the pirates rather than fight them. The crews themselves chose not to arm themselves. There is no simplistic answer to this problem. Greater minds than are on this board have wrestled with this already.

 

[RichH]

Thats pretty profound ... and 'Oh how true' when it comes to 'americans' abroad.

 

[Eddie7045]

KD3PC, ditto !

.

 

[Ross]

Re: KD3PC, ditto !

Someone once asked a Russian Diplomat why russian embassies were never targeted by rioters. The Russian said simply , We don't permit it."

 

[alexco38]

Convert them

(1) They probability think they can convert the Somalis pirates to do good deeds.

(2) The good lord would look after us.

(3) Or they think we fly the American flag and nobody dare to touch us.

Good choices. I do wish them well and not try that again.