Piracy News

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[Trim50]

Step in the right direction...now they need 10 more nations to park war ships off the coast.

In London, U.S. Assistant Secretary of African Affairs Johnnie Carson said Monday that those who use the seas have a role to play in preventing pirate attacks.

"Is it responsible for yachters to come by the dozen through an area where pirates are operating like this and create a danger for themselves?" Carson said. "We know the characteristics of what the pirates are looking for. They are looking for vehicles that are moving slowly, that are low slung to the water and traditionally for vehicles that are fairly close to the land."

Then allow yachts to carry weapons and have license to carry through international ports.

[Lighthouse]

Originally Posted by Trim50

"Is it responsible for yachters to come by the dozen through an area where pirates are operating like this and create a danger for themselves?"

There is however nothing to stop a yacht (or two) being taken from within a flotilla. If anything, a flotilla is easier for these pirates to find or stumble upon.

[redbopeep]

I think he's saying it is not responsible for yachts to be there at all because they are slow and low freeboard and may travel close to shore.

[JeanneP]

Originally Posted by Trim50

Then allow yachts to carry weapons and have license to carry through international ports.

To my knowledge and from our own experience, yachts are not prohibited from carrying weapons on the high seas, just from having them on board in port. I still do not see how one yacht, or a flotilla of yachts, can adequately arm themselves against these well-armed and aggressive pirates. They have automatic weapons in fast-moving boats. From their many successes against huge freighters I presume that they are better-armed and more experienced than when Gandolf and Mahdee were attacked several years ago.

There are no guarantees however one travels, but it seems to me that I would want the best odds with me. The odds of our surviving a pirate attack are a whole lot less than surviving an ocean passage.

[JeanneP]

The International Sailing Federation has posted guidelines for dealing with the piracy threat. It is available on their web site, or can be downloaded here

2010Nov10Draftrecguidelinesshortversion-9066.pdf

I've extracted few paragraphs about the reality of sailing to, and through, the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea, but there is much more information included that is important to read.

Q: Can yachts passing through the GoA expect a naval escort,

perhaps by forming a large convoy?

A: No. There are insufficient warships to provide this protection and their primary duties are

to guard World Food Programme and vulnerable merchant ships.

Q: Can I expect help from naval forces if attacked?

A: Realistically, probably not. It would take a skiff at 25 knots about 3 minutes from being

spotted to being alongside a yacht. Once pirates have boarded, the rules of engagement of

the naval forces prevent further action due to the risk of cross fire killing the yacht crew. The

skipper of the yacht Tanit was killed by cross fire in a 2008 rescue attempt.

Q: So what is the advice to yachts considering sailing through

these waters?

A: The clear advice from MSCHOA is ‘Do not go’. Only do so if you have fully considered the

risks. If you decide to go ahead you are strongly encouraged to register in advance and to

report during the passage (see below).

For the transit of the Somali Basin you may wish to plot a course which keeps you clear of

the main areas of past activity. See chart above. However, the pirates follow their prey and

as merchant ships sail ever further east, so do the pirates.

Note the reality that at the speed that a pirate skiff can travel, there is about 3 minutes between its being spotted and its being alongside your boat. Unless your lifelines have been electrified, they would be aboard before anybody would even be able to change course to get to you.

Though the odds of being found and attacked by Somali pirates are quite small, the odds of escaping and attack are even smaller. In our approach to life we don't count on luck to save us.

Fair winds,

Jeanne

[CaptDinghy]

Great stuff!

Thanks for posting this.