UK special forces 'storm pirate-held ship Montecristo'

[Jimbuna]

British special forces have stormed an Italian ship hijacked by Somali pirates, according to an Italian defence ministry spokesman.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15261734

Way to go

[August]

Good for you England!

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15261734

Way to go

I knew you guys still had pirate-fighting blood left in ya!

[soopaman2]

Good job!

Piracy will only be tolerated as long as governments allow it to be tolerated.

The recent events of European, American and even Chinese interventions at sea is heartening in what seemed to be hopeless to stop. Naval shipping makes the world go round, even in this age of airplanes and spaceships.

My country loves parking carrier task forces places, how about we pull the middle eastern fleet (true name is lost to me ATM, perhaps one of our Navy vets can fill me in) out and park it off Somalia. After all the shipping is more important than Afghani and Iraqi mud hovels and westerner haters.

[Herr-Berbunch]

What'll happen now though - taken to where and done what with?

My brother-in-law-in-law (long story) is Chief on a LNG tanker (266k tons - los) , he says they only have razor wire and water cannons, and a huge wad of cash to deter pirates. He's regularly up and down that coastline but nothing eventful yet, fingers crossed. He says that some vessels owned by other companies do embark armed persons before travelling that way, but not many - the wad of cash is probably easier, and cheaper!

[Betonov]

Wad of cash ?? A packet of money to bribe the pirates to leave the ship if they take it over What kind of sum are we talking about and how many times his ship sails trough the Adriatic

[soopaman2]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

What'll happen now though - taken to where and done what with?

My brother-in-law-in-law (long story) is Chief on a LNG tanker (266k tons - los) , he says they only have razor wire and water cannons, and a huge wad of cash to deter pirates. He's regularly up and down that coastline but nothing eventful yet, fingers crossed. He says that some vessels owned by other companies do embark armed persons before travelling that way, but not many - the wad of cash is probably easier, and cheaper!

Bad idea IMHO, they can take the money, send it off with Jabbar on the rubber dinghy back to Oogieboogiejabad in Somalia, then still ransom the crew... Not wishing this on your Brother, that would be terrible, just saying.

Current international laws prohibit (from my understanding) the arming of merchant vessels. The pirates know this.

As long as this is so, the worlds navies will need to patrol for this. A crackdown is in order.

[Jimbuna]

I've noticed the update to the link now includes an American frigate and personnel as well so I'm more than happy to see this as a joint operation

[Osmium Steele]

He said pirates were attacking vessels further afield than Somalia by using "mother ships" from which they launch smaller vessels.

Perhaps efforts could be concentrated on these. Center of gravity as Clausewitz would say.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by soopaman2

Bad idea IMHO, they can take the money, send it off with Jabbar on the rubber dinghy back to Oogieboogiejabad in Somalia, then still ransom the crew...

They don't want the hassle, just easy money - I don't know exact amounts but it'd give us in the western world a very comfortable lifestyle so imagine what it'd be like in Somalia!!! I don't know if any have paid up to date - I'm amazed the crews don't pretend and pocket the cash

[soopaman2]

Or maybe a return of the q-boats.

One heavy bore sea modified gun. Specifically this...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Ordnance_L9, that would level the mothership and the little dinghys they board with. Even handguns would help.. Sheesh to leave these men undefended is not right.

Edit, I chose the above ordinance based on the round fired, being cheap and inert. With a range within visual sight. Close enough to confirm threat. Like AK waving guys in shabby clothes and barefeet.

[Jimbuna]

Q Ships would be a wonderful way of dishing out poetic justice

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by soopaman2

Or maybe a return of the q-boats.

One heavy bore sea modified gun. Specifically this...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Ordnance_L9, that would level the mothership and the little dinghys they board with. Even handguns would help.. Sheesh to leave these men undefended is not right.

Edit, I chose the above ordinance based on the round fired, being cheap and inert. With a range within visual sight. Close enough to confirm threat. Like AK waving guys in shabby clothes and barefeet.

That would be quite a weapon for Q-ship or merchantman. It could even have some deterrence value. I'm just worried that pirates may make following calculation:
AK-47 + L9 = no $$$
MM38 + L9 = $$$ (if showing it was enough)

[Oberon]

There's plenty of capital in mercenary outfits in Iraq and Afghanistan (well, PMCs to give them the more politically correct term). Perhaps they should start thinking about arming merchantmen in that area with some PMC chaps on board to deter the pirates.
Of course, that in turn adds a large overhead on top of an already expensive trade, although I imagine the oil and LNG companies will be able to afford it easily.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by Oberon

... I imagine the oil and LNG companies will be able to afford it easily.

Correction, YOU can afford it.