ICC CCS Weekly Piracy Report to 6 May 2007

Found at ICC Commercial Crime Services. Highlights:

-28.02.2007 0945 UTC in position 21:11.47N - 059:33.70E, Oman.
A 55 metre yacht was contacted on VHF by a passing vessel asking for a weather report and number of crew on board. Suddenly four suspicious speedboats with three persons on each boat emerged from the lee of the vessel and sped towards the yacht. One boat had a tripod mounted in the bow. Skipper raised alarm, crew mustered and activated fire hoses. A distress message was sent by VHF. A coalition warship responded to the distress call. Skipper doubled anti piracy watch. Suspicious boats moved away

-27.02.2007 0415 LT about 5 nm off Lagos, Nigeria.
Two robbers armed with knives boarded a ship at anchor via the stern. They threatened the watchkeepers with knives and stole two mooring ropes. Alarm was raised. Robbers left without taking anything else. Inspection showed. One fire hose was cut in two but robbers left it behind. No one was hurt. Port control informed.

-26.02.2007 0315 LT in position 06:37.4N - 039:32.0E, drifting off Dar es Salaam port, Tanzania.
Ten pirates armed with long knives boarded a ship from the fore part. Pirates tied up the duty AB and asked for ship's store keys. D/O spotted pirates and raised alarm and crew mustered. Pirates escaped with ship's stores. No one was hurt. Port control informed however no action taken.

-12.02.2007 0920 LT , Gulf of Aden.
While underway, crew onboard one of the Blue Water Rally group of yachts spotted a small boat approaching a 53 foot ketch. Skipper tightened the formation of his yachts and took precautionary measures. The small boat moved to the stern of the formation and was later joined by another larger boat and they followed the formation at a range of one mile. Yachts sent a distress message via vhf radio. One of the coalition warship appeared in the vicinity and the trailing boats abandoned the chase. (see here)