Somali Pirates: Higher Winds = Fewer Attacks

Offshore Somalia is experiencing higher winds this week:




Pirate attacks are down.

Unless, of course, you are a Swiss flagged ship:

It’s been confirmed that, for the first time, a Swiss ship has been attacked by pirates in the Arabian Sea.

Government officials say the ship, the Turicum, came under attack from three smaller vessels last Wednesday.

The assault lasted for seven-hours.

The 190-metre ship was just under five nautical miles outside the zone protected by the European Union. The ship’s owner, commercial ship management company Reederei Zurich, says the waters where it happened are normally considered a low-risk.

The ship’s captain fought off the pirates, keeping them at a distance of about 13 kilometers and preventing them from forcibly boarding. No-one was injured.

Emphasis added. I'm sure 13 km is a typo. Since that's about 8 miles. A distance from which a Somali pirate attack might be hard to detect.

The powerful Swiss Navy will be sailing shortly to defend the rights of free passage in international waters.

Photo of MV Turicum by Tomas Pinas from Shipspotting,com and used in accord with that site's terms.

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