India 'sinks Somali pirate ship'

[dirtydog]

India 'sinks Somali pirate ship'

The Indian navy is now patrolling off the Somali coast

An Indian navy warship has destroyed a suspected Somali pirate vessel after it came under attack in the Gulf of Aden.

The INS Tabar sunk the pirate "mother ship" after it failed to stop for investigation and opened fire instead, an Indian navy statement said.

There has been a surge in piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia.

The latest attack came days after the Saudi-owned Sirius Star supertanker and its 25 crew were seized by pirates and anchored point off the Somali coast.

Vela International, operators of the Sirius Star, told the BBC no demands had yet been received from the pirates. The company also said all the crew were safe.




Indian Navy spokesman, Commander Nirad Sinha, describes the attack

The biggest tanker ever hijacked, Sirius Star is carrying a cargo of two million barrels of oil - a quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output - worth more than $100m (£67m).

Analysts say the pattern of other hijackings suggests a ransom request is likely to follow. Given the value of the tanker and its cargo, that is expected to be a sizeable demand.

Two of the captive crew are British. The UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, said the Royal Navy was co-ordinating the European response to the incident.
"The problem of piracy around Somalia is a grave danger to the stability in the region," he told the BBC.

Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991 and has suffered continuing civil strife.

Explosions

India is among several countries already patrolling the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

SOMALIA PIRACY



'I thought pirates would kill me'
Somali piracy: Your stories
UK hands over pirate suspects

The Indian navy said the Tabar spotted the pirate vessel while patrolling 285 nautical miles (528km) south-west of Salalah in Oman on Tuesday evening. The navy said the pirates on board were armed with guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers.

When it demanded the vessel stop for investigation, the pirate ship responded by threatening to "blow up the naval warship if it closed on her", the statement said.
Pirates then fired on the Tabar, and the Indians say they retaliated and that there was an explosion on the pirate vessel, which sank.

"Fire broke out on the vessel and explosions were heard, possibly due to exploding ammunition that was stored in the vessel," the Indian navy said.

Some of the pirates tried to escape on two speedboats. The Indian sailors gave chase but one boat was later found abandoned, while a second boat escaped.

The Tabar has been patrolling the Gulf of Aden since 23 October, and has escorted 35 ships safely through the "pirate-infested waters", the statement said.

Last week, helicopter-borne Indian marine commandos stopped pirates from boarding and hijacking an Indian merchant vessel.

Ransoms

On Tuesday, a cargo ship and a fishing vessel became the latest to join more than 90 vessels attacked by the pirates this year.
THE SIRIUS STAR

Carrying 2m barrels of oil
Biggest vessel to be hijacked

The first vessel, a 25-crew cargo vessel transporting wheat to Iran, was attacked in the Gulf of Aden, while contact was lost with the crew of 12 on the fishing boat.

Piracy off the coast of East Africa and the Gulf of Aden - an area of more than 1m sq miles (2.6m sq km) - is estimated to have cost up to $30m in ransoms this year, a UK think tank has said.

The hijackings account for one-third of all global piracy incidents this year and the situation is getting out of control, according to the International Maritime Board.

The pirates who seized the Sirius Star are a sophisticated group with contacts in Dubai and neighbouring countries, says the BBC Somali Service's Yusuf Garaad.

Much of their ransom money from previous hijackings has been used to buy new boats and weapons as well as develop a network across the Horn of Africa, he adds.

Shipping companies are now weighing up the risks of using the short-cut route to Europe via the Suez canal.

However, travelling around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope would add several weeks to average journey times and substantially increase the cost of goods for consumers.

BBC NEWS | South Asia | India 'sinks Somali pirate ship'

[keda]

Shipping companies are now weighing up the risks of using the short-cut route to Europe via the Suez canal.

However, travelling around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope would add several weeks to average journey times and substantially increase the cost of goods for consumers.

Aside from time and cost it would also run the gauntlet of more hostile weather conditions and isolated shipping routes. The Somali pirates may be operating with impunity and safe havens, but the sums of money to be made relative to the region will almost certainly attract new organised groups wanting in on the action.

Btw good on the Indians, not much pc nuttiness going on in their country but they know what to do with the Gordian Knot. Wouldn't be surprised of the US offered them a couple of hospitals to do the deed.

[Fabian]

Btw good on the Indians, not much pc nuttiness going on in their country but they know what to do with the Gordian Knot. ...

Agreed. I saw a documentary about the german fregate patrolling that area. They are only allowed to search ships and boats if the captain agrees. Go figure.

[SEA Traveler]

India 'sinks Somali pirate ship'

BBC NEWS | South Asia | India 'sinks Somali pirate ship'

It is about time. "Hoooa" for the Indian Navy.

[Thetyim]

Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991

So it would be no problem to declare war with Somalia and then sink any of her boats at will

[Texpat]

... an area of more than 1m sq miles (2.6m sq km) ...

That's a lot of patrolling...

[Thetyim]

^
Should be 2.56 million sq km

[oldgit]

There are spy satellites up there that could spot the pirates? good on India sinking the mother ship about time somebody sunk it as they all knew about it.

[Issan Man]

Is Somalia Muslin?If It Is then maybe not such a good idea too start sinking there ships,will just be another excuse for Al-Qeda,maybe even an excuse to start sinking our Oil Tankers

[Muadib]

Regardless of their religion, their God is $$$$... I agree, good on the Indian Navy... About time someone stood up to this bunch of thugs in speed boats...

[spiff]

I was wondering when the first moron would start a rant about Muslim-terrorists.

Thanks Isaan Man for getting the ball rolling.

[pickel]

Is Somalia Muslin?If It Is then maybe not such a good idea too start sinking there ships,will just be another excuse for Al-Qeda,maybe even an excuse to start sinking our Oil Tankers

This isn't about Allah, it's about dollah.

[attaboy]

They should have continued firing so no one escaped alive. Allowing people to escape means that Allah is truly akubar. Such superstitions must not be encouraged. It fills the pirates with bravado.

[MUSTY]

The three 'C's' of hostage takers are 1. Criminals, 2. Crusaders and 3. Crazies.
These guys are all three. Saw a clip of some captured pirates in prison.
Looked like halve starved ethiopian's that were in need of desperate dental surgery.
I must admit if the Idian navy were taking up a collection to have a few heads on a stick, I would gladly donate.
Me thinks that someone will bank roll a legitamate party to take out some of these pirates because it makes good sport.
Could be a sign of escalating criminal activity in proportion with desperate times ahead.

[nedwalk]

i agree also, they act with no law so the same should be applied, sink the bastards and any available chance, sooner or later they will run out of vessels

[Marmite the Dog]

Would it really take a lot of organisation to get the civilian ships sailing together escorted by various navies?

[Sparky]

What about the ransom money was that lost with the ship ??? Might have to get into learning Diving !

[Texpat]

i agree also, they act with no law so the same should be applied, sink the bastards and any available chance, sooner or later they will run out of vessels

No, no no!

We have to act with kindness and benevolence. We have to build these sweet and gentle people mosques and hospitals and roads and factories and schools.

They're only doing this because of western extravagance and arrogance.

If we harm so much as one hair on their head, the loonies will be up in arms over our excess force and how we brought it on ourselves.

Just give the nice man the boat and the oil. We have more.

[Sparky]

A few decoy ships with a minimum crew and a load of SAS onboard would soon put the poop up them the uncertainty of walking into another ambush would make the idea less apealing .

[Travelmate]

It was Blackgang that sank the ship!

[Carnwadrick]

was wondering when the first moron would start a rant about Muslim-terrorists. Thanks Isaan Man for getting the ball rolling.

The buggers are pirates/terrorists so kill them, oh Somali is Muslim !! well in that case nuke the whole country

[Thetyim]

Would it really take a lot of organisation to get the civilian ships sailing together escorted by various navies?

Average daily would be 58 ships.
Sounds possible to me but I ain't an expert

[Marmite the Dog]

^ We managed it nearly 60 years ago. I'm sure even the Arabs & Indians could do it nowadays.

I also assume that the ships' country of registration may have a bearing on how much protection they'd get. Not many commercial ships registered in the UK nowadays are there?

[Texpat]

This is nothing more than robbery.
If you're walking down the street and someone pulls a gun or knife on you and steals your wallet, is your first reaction to get a bodyguard?

No.

The reaction is to catch the guy, get your shit back and teach him the error of his ways. Crime and Punishment. The crime won't stop unless there's carrot AND stick.

[Thetyim]

This is nothing more than robbery.

It is much more than robbery

It is piracy in international waters where rules can be ignored with little consequence