Mogadishu Impounding
 

Reports are just starting to come about an aircraft that has been impounded in Mogadishu airport with a large sum of pirate ransom money on board. One website is showing a picture of a KingAir/1900 - but this may be a file photo. Anyone know who the unlucky crew or operator is?:(

Two Americans, two Britons and two Kenyans were Tuesday arrested at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde international airport in possession of $3.6 million believed to be ransom money due to pirates after their aircraft made an unscheduled stop, a Somali police official said.

Police Spokesman Abdullahi Hassan Barise told Somalia Report that the departure point of the two aircraft was unknown, and they may have landed unexpectedly due to a shortage of fuel. Ransom money is often delivered by light aircraft which leave the Kenyan airstrips of Wilson, in Nairobi, or Laikipia

When will they learn how dangerous it is being on the ground in Mogadishu main? The airport is controlled by a "militia" that has soldiers shooting at the port, to stop shipping, and the port is shooting back, preventing aircraft from arriving, and somehow they still land.:rolleyes:
Anyone remember the A310 that was chartered into there in 1997 and got shot up landing into Mogadishu? It then flew to Mombasa on two hydraulic systems and almost ran off the end in Mombasa, then ferried onto Nairobi again after that for repairs.

Not sure if you can call the Ugandan Army a "militia". They control the Airport and the port now, and have done for a while. It is still a mess up there, but it has improved from the S:mad:thole it used to be. And the Braai's were always good.

Not sure how to read today's reports, but apparently it is two Phoenix aircraft who were impounded plus crew and pax. Not good for those guys at all!

Most detailed web story is in Somalia Report - Piracy which says:

"Now it seems the TFG is red-faced and eager to get the men and the money back on the plane and forget the entire incident. The TFG was expected to release the men and aircraft Wednesday. Phoenix has requested planes and crew to be released, as they had full permission to enter Somali airspace and land at the airport. Meetings were still ongoing Wednesday morning, and the two aircraft - second of which is registered in Seychelles - were still parked on the runway".

As far as Africa night-stops go, that must be about the worst case scenario. Hope it all get resolved, and the guys released to go back to safer flying.... like medivacs out of war zones or something....

Is it the Phoenix aviation from Nbi? Any idea which aircrafts were impounded? I was in MGQ on sun and mon but didn't see any aircrafts apart from the usual IL 18.:confused:

Apparently - from another cargo plane that was there this morning - it was the Phoenix Caravan (MJA??) and their Citation (BWM??). And yes, it seems they are still there for a second night - not good!:(

Can you elaborate what Il-18 this is ? Daallo maybe ?

Thanks.

IL 18 I think is operated by/for Juba Air. It operates within Somalia and feeds there B737-200 with pax to Dubai.

Thanks. EX-75449 maybe ?

News just came in that the crew are still
held up in Mgq and were going to be taken
to court. Both aircrafts chained up at the end
of the runway.
Seems like a deal gone terribly wrong as it obvious
they were there for the wrong reasons with a whole
Lot of $$$$$.
Unfortunately I can't disclose more for obvious
reasons.

Deal gone wrong or set-up? All a bit fishy from what I'm hearing here.

If past experience is any guide this will just be typical for africa.
Someone saw large sums of money and got upset because they were not getting a share of the loot.

I agree theres corruption in Africa but again there's
corruption everywhere in the world including the 1st
world countries.
Blaming the whole continent is really not called for as
there are really good law abiding citizens.
It's just a few rotten people and companies that
ruin the image for everyone.

Well, there seems to be some seriously confusing stories about what happened. Something semi-official about the amount of money on board more than the pirates were expecting so they (TFG/Airport guards/pirate contacts) got upset and the rest we know....

OR, version two the planes landed without a proper clearance and the TFG guards at the airport launched into this issue only to find they'd struck gold and 3.6Million US$$.

OR, version three, Phoenix flew in under UN clearance (which they'd done upto four times before this year apparently) and did their usual thing of money transfer across the apron, but someone in the 'know' wanted a larger share of things, so stirred it up officially.

Now the TFG government have a publicity situation on their hands - is it good, and they can be seen to be doing something legal about stopping the ransom trade (as they don't agree to it like the rest of the world), or its a publicity shot in the foot, because they now have 6 western hostages, no legal framework for dealing with them, 3.6M in the bank and 6M of aircraft on their apron. What a dilemma.

In the meantime, there are six guys stuck in limbo between being officially recognised and diplomatically hung out to dry. They were supposed to appear in court yesterday but haven't heard anything about it recently. Anyone else know what's happening to these poor mugs...???:confused::uhoh:

And something else that someone said... it doesn't matter how attractive the money for these sort of jobs sounds when things are going well, its never enough when things go badly. Like this. Bet the guys sitting in Mog detention aren't so sure the payment was worth it now...

You're either paid too much or not enough for stuff like this...

Should we have any sympathy for people who pay terrorists off with $Millions?

They are perpetuating and exacerbating a crippling international menace by doing this. Flying those volumes of cash around will get you arrested for currency smuggling anywhere in the civilised world, so what if Somalia joins the club too? Can we do as we please there just because the place is a basket case?

It was their choice.

Sadly the whole story has gone quiet!
I wonder what the KCAA are doing about
the modifications that were done to the
aircrafts to carry out the missions and also
what is the government doing!??

So far no-one has mentioned the other side of the story. While we may or may not sympathise with the crews and "expats" that are facilitating the cash handovers. If it were not for them, who else would be obtaining the release of the many hostages in Somalia.

I think the current estimate is over 20 ships and almost 500 crew!

I'm not saying paying ransoms is correct, especially when most of the money is paying for weapons and dodgy business deals in Nairobi. I'm also not naive enough to think that the ransom payers are generally concerned about the crews of the ships currently held - the ships and their cargoes are what is being exchanged.

But as World governments refuse to act directly against the pirates because of soft "High Seas" laws this number will only increase. Someone needs to act to stop the taking of ships in the first place and cut-off the pirates' cash resupply.

As far as the releasing of hostages is concerned, I haven't heard of any governments assisting - out of sight out of mind!

Chicken and an egg Bushjock. Any news on this?

Does not sound good for the pilots involved. Seems they all have been put in jail for 10 years.

"The other four, among them the pilots of the aircraft, were given 10-year prison terms and have been fined $10 000 each," he said.

Foreigners jailed in Somalia: News24: Africa: News

BV

What of the aircraft? Still sitting chained or released to the operator?

Anything more on Phoenix Planes ?
 

Following case of Phoenix aircraft impounded in Mogadishu. Any thing more on whereabouts of planes and identity of pilots?

Three names here.

3 Britons and American jailed in Somalia for smuggling millions to pay ransoms to pirates | Mail Online

One, Somalia isn't by most definitions "a civilized world" What better options do you propose to free the ship crews held hostage? Are the flag countries doing anything much?

Sure, things went wrong this time; but I can hardly blame the aircrew for this. They were doing this because no one else was doing anything.

We've got two threads on the same subject, so at the risk of repeating myself...

The Transitional Govt of Somalia has sentenced the pilots to US$10,000 each and ten years in prison, and the ransom cash handlers to US$15,000 fine and 15 years in prison. However, there's also strong speculation that with more negotiation the prison sentences might be waived in exchange for a larger fine. I sincerely hope so!! I would not wish that sentence on anyone. There are few places in this world worse to be than in a prison in Mogadishu. However rumours are that they are actually being held in the UN camp as there isn't really a functioning prison (whatever that is) in Mog.

Ransom handlers were Andrew Oakes and Alex James. Crew was Matt Brown, Potgeiter Jnr and Alaster Davidson(?) and Rob Andrews son went along as security apparently.

Ransom money and aircraft have been confiscated by the Somali Govt too!! Ouch! :eek:

Or, as a friend of mine puts it:
<<A horrid sort of "Alice in Wonderland' world awaits those who overstep the invisible boundaries in places where there is no Rule of Law, in Somalia, Sudan & places to numerous to type here.....very close to home......>>

Well, as I made it clear that Somali wasn't part of the civilised world what exactly is your point?

Better options? Blindingly obvious isn't it? A vigorous application of Rule .303 both on and offshore to eradicate as many of the perpetrators as possible and NO MORE RANSOMS. You don't hope to save the body by refusing to amputate a gangrenous leg just because it will hurt do you? Its exactly the same principle.

The Somalis are laughing themselves sick at the spineless, cowardly and pathetic behaviour of the Western "Governments" over this and won't stop until one or both of the above measures are taken. Why would they when we are providing $Millions of free cash to any fisherman with an old RPG and a dozen mates with rusty rifles?

And puhleese, don't post bleeding-heart crap about what would I think if it were one of my loved ones. That's detail, we need to deal with the big picture and that will hurt some individuals. Omelettes and breaking eggs. We need to grow up fast rejoin the real world before the gangrene gets so deep it can't be cut out...

Just got the news that the crew and aircraft were released last nite and are back in Nairobi..:ok:

Wonder how long before their next trip then...:suspect:

I expect their reaction will be the same as mine in 1973.......Somali Embassy chartered our Navajo (and me ) to fly Coke and Fanta concentrate ( whatever turns you on ) to Mog because it was Independence Day anniversary next day , Ambassador himself came to Wilson , told me ' clearance ' number , and off I went . Large committee to meet me , firstly customs and Coke reps , then the Army / Cops who thought my clearance was a joke and arrested me ! Strange that they were all desperate for me to get there and were waiting . 3 days house arrest in hotel before release .
Landed Wilson , told Chief Pilot I would not ever be going back to Somalia thank you very much . The Somali Ambassador had a lot of trouble finding a charter company after that - but there is always someone prepared to sell their soul eh !
Now it is big bucks talking ......the ransom money is mostly being invested in Kenya , hence the lunatic property prices now , changed my retirement plans I can tell you.