Somali Ransom Parachuted In

[arandcee]

Just out of idle curiosity, when I heard that the ransom had been 'parachuted in' I expected a rather simple affair (white, umbrella-shaped canopy etc) but this looks a little more 'advanced' to my completely amateur eyes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1231523771/img/1.jpg

Is anyone interested enough to pass a more informed comment - is that likely to be a military effort? Does it look like a steerable thing? Or were the hostages getting a 'little lift' from a parachuting orange tic-tac?

[Fareastdriver]

Must be even more galling, that after paying the ransom, the cargo is worth about $17,000,000 less than it was when it was highjacked.

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

World news Feed Article | World news | guardian.co.uk (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8228786)

My thoughts are with their friends and family.






Can they be slotted as well?

[Razor61]

So... what about the scum pirates onboard now. Where do they go? Once they have the money do they simply get on a boat and bugger off or do they put the tanker in port and then run for it or what?
If the former, then can't the task force intercept them and shoot the bastards?

[Tiger_mate]

Apparently the pirate craft capsized and 5 somali pirates drowned.

Well that the official line, but it is a bit fishy, pardon the fun.

[glad rag]

http://nuclear-weapons.info/images/027-Sea-King-NDB-drop.png

[Ten West]

Time to fit CIWS or Goalkeeper to supertankers methinks. :E

Let's see an old RIB with half a dozen Somalis outrun the weapons system computer.

Come to think of it, surely a couple of 50BMG and a good lookout would be enough? Cheaper than a ransom.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

A system was developed around 20 years ago that would home on a beacon using servo driven steering lines. Possibly refined and in use here.

[ShyTorque]

Sky News now reporting that the pirates may have drowned because their boat capsized on their way home. Shame - but not much of a shame.

[Double Zero]

On the positive side, I've always thought there was a case for 'laser guided food' etc to avoid dropping pallets on people's heads in aid situations; always suspected there must be systems out there to say, re-supply special forces, but people don't want to reveal them.

As for the drowned pirates, their condition is in hospital-speak, 'satisfactory'.

The point is, are the legitimate crew safe yet ? It appears not.

The only way the remaining pirates could 'berth' that ship would be to enlist the hostages, otherwise run it ashore - they can probably read charts and spot a suitable place, though one without a reception committee not entirely on their side might be more tricky.

As long as the crew are safe, I for one will not lose any sleep over the cargo losing value during the delay !

[Razor61]

I noted a few weeks back also that the French (i think) intercepted some pirates and arrested them but had to release them due to the French Government ordering them too.... I'm sure it was the French, but i'm unsure... :ugh:

What's the story behind this then, arrested pirates who attack and hold ships/crews to ransom and then being ordered to let them go... seems rather pointless intercepting them in the first place if that is the case.

[Gainesy]

There's a big thread in Jet Blast about all the legal /nautical niceties on pirates with some input from merchant ship drivers. Mostly hang the bastards.:)

[exscribbler]

10W: You're right there! A mate who works in shipping says he could have sold dozens of Bushmasters to tanker captains but at least the Gurkha security teams are making a mint.

[Double Zero]

This is such an obvious gap in the market for 'security firms' that one would expect they're homing in on it like mad.

If the Ghurkas are getting something out of it, great, they've been shoddilly treated by the UK.

Operators of merchant ships are notoriously ultra-stingy, as a yachtie I've seen small ships go past with no-one at all in the wheelhouse ( by law they all supposedly have to fit a radar alarm set off by other ships or anything with the suitable transponder - for yachts which can't afford the kit financially or because electrical power is usually precious, tough luck ).

Captains of such things as 'super-tankers' even have to justify every change of course to the owner / operators.

I suspect that will change now, as the insurers will be leaning on them heavily to carry security with appropriate weaponry - this is a can of worms, as various Customs 'officials' the world over will want to get involved; even private yachts which want to carry a rifle/shotgun to protect their family have found it causes no end of hassle.

If they're not careful, freighters / tankers will find themselves classified as warships !

Also, as for our RFA fleet, now would be a good time to fit at least some of the kit ( guns not missiles ) 'provided for' in their design or there could be a very embarassing incident, unless they 'happen' to have a bunch of Marines aboard.

[November4]

Spoke to my brother about this, he is a Merchant Navy Master Mariner currently working in the International Martime Org. He said that there are a number of companies providing security for tankers including one based in Poole.....wonder who they could be recruiting?

He siad about a recent incident where 2 of the men from this company were involved in a shoot out with pirates which eventually resulted in the ship being taken. The 2 guards jumped over board rather than be taken hostage. Risky thing to do in the middle of the ocean but luckily for them they were picked up by a helo from a Germany Navy ship.....which had been watching the whole engagement but not intervened due to their RoE.

Another one was the recent sinking of a ship and killing of the pirates by the Inidian Navy......all well and good except once the pirates had taken the ship they found nothing of value for them. They handed the ship back to the crew and left the scene well before the Indian Navy ship arrived and shot up the "pirated" ship killing 5 of the real crew.

[US Herk]

I've always thought there was a case for 'laser guided food' etc to avoid dropping pallets on people's heads in aid situations;

Doesn't work well when those receiving food aid go running out to "catch" the pallets...:eek:

[Lost Again..]

JPADS continues 'revolution in airdrop technology' (http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123037942)

"There are also multiple types of JPADS parachute systems that either have one or two types of parachutes -- steering and traditional, that is an airborne guidance unit equipped with a GPS receiver that has steering lines attached to the steering parachute and a GPS retransmit kit mounted inside the bundle to ensure uninterrupted signal reception."

OP photo looks like this or similar system is being employed.

[GreenKnight121]

Somali pirates drown with ransom after freeing Saudi supertanker - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/piracy/4213168/Somali-pirates-drown-with-ransom-after-freeing-Saudi-supertanker.html)


Somali pirates drown with ransom after freeing Saudi supertanker

Five Somali pirates who released a Saudi supertanker have drowned with their share of a reported £2 million ransom after their escape boat capsized.


Residents and pirates in the Somali port of Haradhere told the Associated Press that the boat, which was carrying eight men, overturned in a storm after dozens of pirates left the Sirius Star following a two-month standoff in the Gulf of Aden. Three of the eight pirates managed to swim to shore but five were believed to have drowned.
Haradhere, which has been used by pirates to launch their attacks on international vessels off east Africa, is a Somali coastal town close to where the Saudi supertanker ship was anchored.
Local sources said that the ransom payment held by the eight pirates on their get away boat had been lost at sea.
Dozens of pirates were involved in the Nov 15 hijacking of the Sirius Star, which had a £60 million cargo of crude oil. The estimated £2 million paid to release it on behalf of the ship's owners was split between many members of the gang.
The ransom was delivered on Friday by airdrop, parachuted close to the ship in a waterproof case for the pirates to collect. They were then allowed to make their escape.

[NutLoose]

Looks awfully like the fuel/air bomb dropped in the Movie Outbreak.. LOL

[Fareastdriver]

I wonder if the boat capsized or was 'nudged'. I would have thought that experienced Somali fishermen would have been able to handle their craft in most sorts of weather.

[Razor61]

On the news a while back it said that some warlords in Somalia had sent rebels to the town to hunt down pirates...
perhaps they might have had something to do with it.

[BEagle]

In the words of Capt Blackadder:

"God* is very quick these days!"





*or other deity as appropriate

[Double Zero]

I'm a relativey experienced yachtie and reckon the idea of boarding a tanker from a small boat pretty dodgy at best ( even before any Ghurkas etc onboard express their wishes that one desists ) as for trying to deal sensibly with Somali pirates, one only has to read ' Black Hawk Down ' to realise that's not a go-er...

[mr fish]

i read a short while ago that the chinese navy are working up to sail regularly into the indian ocean.
with their erm, "robust" attitude to lawbreakers it should be interesting to observe the outcome if pirates attack chinese assets:E

[OFBSLF]

This is such an obvious gap in the market for 'security firms' that one would expect they're homing in on it like mad.
1) Insurance companies keep insisting that no arms are allowed on the vessels.

2) Shipping companies are terribly cheap. That is why most of the crew is from third-world countries and are paid peanuts. A competent security detachment will cost more per day than the entire crew.

3) Some security firms are already pitching their services. Blackwater has bought a small ship that they are pitching as an anti-piracy escort.

Private security firm Blackwater Worldwide began holding meetings in London on Tuesday with potential clients for a new business venture -- protection from pirates.

The Moyock, N.C., firm, which has grown rapidly through State Department security work in Iraq, has been courting shippers and insurance firms about protecting ships in pirate-infested waters. It's meeting with more than a dozen firms this week and hopes to drum up its first contract.

Blackwater Plans Effort Against Piracy - WSJ.com (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122826117332273945.html)

The way to stop piracy is for the major powers to grow a pair, start hunting down the pirates, and kill them.

'm a relativey experienced yachtie and reckon the idea of boarding a tanker from a small boat pretty dodgy at best
The pirates manage that every time they hijack a vessel. I'm sure the SBS and SEALS are far more competent than pirates in this regard and could easily manage to get onboard. The ensuing battle in the confined space of a ship would, undoubtedly, be risky.

[Double Zero]

I happen to sail in Portsmouth & Poole, where the respective forces regularly practice boarding ships, sometimes with dedicated unmentionable kit.

Otherwise there's no easy way; I also know some ship pilots, ( i.e. harbour specialists, not helmsmen ) and they still have to get aboard the old fashioned way - the old navy's witty response to such attempts was to simply drop a cannonball into / through the annoying boat !

Even for yachtsmen, there are some very unofficial guides to home-made & other weaponry, including flaming arrows of the 'Native American' kind, or at least as shown in Westerns.

I suspect most of us here would have a Plan B before skippering a ship in such areas ( funnily enough, I've only been threatened with attack once on my boat, and that was by gangs of speedboats on the River Frome in Poole) !!! Tactics as in 'Yangtse Incident' saved the day.

As for insurers being against arms, I suspect that will change; as mentioned the crews tend to be 3rd world, and there's probably the worry they'd take out their own feet and chums before hitting the bad guys.

As also mentioned, it would give the Navies of this world a useful job, and good P.R, to get involved.