Hi Pontious,
Thank you for taking my comments regarding your ship handling suggestions in the spirit they were meant and I most certainly do not disagree with your observations. There is just too little footage to make a positive identification, but they are still not greyhounds of the sea that can flick out their stern to give the skiff a quick punt!
Looking at the wake it looks like they are maintaining a straight course but again it is not clear but listening to the tape time and again it just sounds like an exercise. Right at the beginning The English speaking person in charge saying, 'I'll give you a weapons free when we are ready!' At no stage do we ever hear any reference to any type of incoming attack... The skiff maintains a course and hits the merchant ship, no cries of elation, no cries of 'That'll teach the muffa's to mess with us' type euphoria... From start to finish it is all one way traffic and the 'attacking' boats do not weave, do not turn about the INSTANT that first shot was fired at them.
Did you see any type of movement from that boat, anyone diving over the side? Any deviation of course when they were being fired at from a distance?
Why attack such a huge ship in daylight?
I think I have had my say and will wait for some clever forum member to shoot me down with a nice reference that will show the dead bodies but the bottom line to me is the fact that merchant ships are capable of defending themselves... Respect and well done.