Can't help but think why the task force is out there off Somalia, Yemen etc when all they seem to do is just watch ships get taken over? Might sound harsh but watching the Ross Kemp on Pirates, he was flying with the Royal Navy in their Merlin and a ship put out a mayday saying they were being followed by pirates. When the Merlin turned up the pirates seemed to turn away and the Merlin crews went back to their ship. A call then came in that night of the same ship being attacked and boarded by those same pirates.
The Merlin was once again sent out and told to RTB and not to intervene because the pirates "were already onboard".
The crew of the Merlin swore and were clearly frustrated on the fact they cannot do anything once the ship is boarded (for political reasons and crews safety i assume).
Then we have the RFA ship sheparding the Pirates on the British yacht off the seycheles with our chaps armed and just watching it just feet away not being able to intervene. Those British citizens are now in Somalia as hostages.
I have also seen on the news video of RN ships getting within several hundred metres of pirate ships but not doing anything at all.
Surely if pirate boats are going around illegally boarding ships and armed to the teeth, that warrants any intervention on any Navy if they see a pirate boat. Why do they have to WAIT for them to attack when they can clearly see (sometimes) they have RPG's and AK's onboard.
Different rules it seems for the USN and French Navy whereby they have undertaken several armed assaults (some with a not so good outcome) but have also raided and destroyed quite a few 'suspected' pirate skiffs and they seem to be on a pro-active patrol.... whereby the RN sits back and watches.
Are we under a different ROE?
Another French assault here
French Navy Storms Pirate Ship, Arrests 12 - Defense News recently arrested 12 pirates and they destroyed their mothership.
I know also that when we do eventually *arrest* the pirates for pirating the seizing ships we have to release them shortly after because we are NOT allowed to detain them.
If the USCG have ROE to shoot the boat upon sight a drug runner who maynot even have any weapons (but i expect tehy do)
Why does a navy (or several navies) have no authority to do so with Pirates who clearly put lives in danger and hold ships to ransom.
So... what is the point of being out there when we cannot do anything to prevent the pirates doing their thing and when we do, we have to release them. It seems absurd and must one of the most frustrating things for the navy or marines to do.