From the NATO Shipping Center, signs of the fog of the piracy war:
NATO daily summary:March 22,2011ALERT 133 / 2011At 0732 UTC / 22 MAR 11 / pirated MV JIN CHUN TSAI 68, suspected acting as mother ship, was reported in position 17 41N 063 18E.________________________________________March 22, 2011ALERT 124 / 2011 UPDATEAt 0550 utc / 22 Mar 2011 / Pirated MV SINAR KUDUS, suspected acting as mothership, was reported in position 14 20N 057 11E, Course: 228 / Speed: 11kts_______________________________________March 21, 2011Latitude: 17 39N. Longitude: 062 02EAlert Update 132 / 2011Reference previous Alert number 131 / 2011.At 1449 UTC / 21 MAR 11 / a merchant vessel, believed to be pirated, was reported in position 1739 N 063 02 E.This vessel has NOT been pirated.The Pirate action group is still in the area.____________________________________________March 21, 2011Latitude: 17 39N. Longitude: 063 02EAlert Update 131 / 2011At 1449 UTC 21 MAR 11 a believed pirated merchant vessel was reported in position 17 39N 063 02E course 328 sp 12.________________________________________________March 21, 2011Latitude: 17 14N. Longitude: 063 18EAlert 131 / 2011At 1202 UTC 21 MAR 11 a merchant vessel was reported under attack by 2 skiffs in position 17 14N 063 18E.[2 skiffs, fired upon vessel]***This vessel is believed to be hijacked***_________________________________________
Photo of MV Liquid Crystal from Shipspotting.com by Luis Felipe G Vaz and used in accord with the terms of that site.There is a continuing high level of piracy activity in the Arabian Sea, with one attack and a number of approaches and suspicious events taking place, most assessed as conducted by dhow-based Pirate Attack Groups (PAGs). Two Fishing Vessels used as mother ships which one of them was involved in the attack of MV LIQUID CRISTAL are also operating in the middle of Arabian Sea. The recently hijacked MV SINAR KUDUS is now moving south towards the Somali coast but can still conduct pirate mother-ship operations in this area.
MV Liquid Crystal
In the same way the piracy activity is increasing in the Somali basin over the past weeks. MV AL NOUF has recently been attacked in the central Somali basin and whaler PAGs were reported underway off the Somali coast to most likely operate in the southern Somali Basin off Mombasa and towards the Mozambique Channel. It is assessed that the attacks conducted from whaler-based PAGs will continue in the central and southern SB when weather will become conducive.
So will they be imprisoned in a US federal prison at our expense. How much have they already cost the US taxpayers to date? Big deal the government has yet again managed to screw the people all over again.
ReplyDeleteHas there been any chatter in DC about changing the rules of engagement. What does maritime law say about private ships arming themselves.
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