A merchant vessel has reported a suspicious approach by a blue-hulled small boat with several armed men some 170 kilometres northwest of Bosaso, Somalia
Maritime security consultancy Ambrey has stated that the vessel was approached from the starboard side of the unnamed vessel to within 100 metres.
The boat was carrying 5-6 armed people with a ladder also sighted on the boat. The merchant vessel altered course and sounded the horn.
A private armed security team onboard the vessel revealed its weapons to the approaching boat and discharged two warning shots due to the boat’s continuing approach. The boat then ceased its approach.
The merchant vessel had an estimated 7.35m freeboard at the time and continued its voyage westbound. No injuries were reported.
Splash reported yesterday on the sighting of a pirate mothership in the Indian Ocean, some 1,000 km from the Somalia mainland and 650 km east of Yemen’s Socotra Island. This sighting comes at a time when the Houthis are also extending their range of attacks to a similar area.
Captain Rahul Khanna, global head of marine risk consulting at Allianz Commercial, stated that shipping was vulnerable to extortion and pirates may be emboldened by what is going on in the Red Sea. He added that there was a possibility of a period of renewed hijackings and piracy attacks at sea.
This is further emphasised by Somali pirates releasing the hijacked Bangladeshi ship, Abdullah, and its 23-strong crew last month only after a $5m ransom was paid.
As a result of the heightened security concerns for merchant shipping, prices for private maritime security guards onboard have shot up this year, according to a recent analysis from sister title Splash Extra with many ex-soldiers looking to get in on the action.
My social head says that these are desperate people who have likely seen their traditional ways of earning a living, such as fishing, dwindle away to nothing.
My shipping head asks why were only warning shots fired and could the small boat not have been sunk (hopefully with the rescue and detainment of all those on board)? They will be looking for their next target pretty quickly, for sure, with yet more seafarers lives put at risk when just going about their daily business.
They could sink it. But that all depends on the weapons on the boat. Look at this image in the article. It is just not the boat from the story but a similar setting as described by Ambrey. Note the weapon the man is holding. It’s an RPG. It won’t sink a big vessel but it is not something to laugh at and can do big damage and kill people easily. Sinking someone with a few AKs is easy. Facing a rocket launcher like in the image – best not to try your luck and not get into a ‘when push comes to shove’ situation. Warning shots is nothing but a ‘move along, nothing to see here’ kind of act.
It’s time the the shipping company’s. Take a hard stans on this sea dogs. The element of surprise must be maintained at all Tim’s. A RPG. Had a range of 900 meters then the rocket destroy it self. The more this criminals ge. Kild. The better it is. There is no other way. The security staff should nor revail ther wepons. Then the pirids. Wil never no when is a ship a hot ship for them.
I believe that RPG can sink a big vessel if vulnerable parts of ship is hit.
Secondly, there will be upcoming dangerous waves of piracy attacks against vessels in Red Sea and Indian ocean.
Preparation is already underway.
OVER:
THANK YOU
Also, the one “in the Dock / Wrong / Fault ” & to face all sorts of Legal (in reality ILLEGAL) music woud be the Captain of the Merchant vessel & probably spend the rest of his life either behind Bars or doing the rounds of Courts of “Law” to save his neck. 🤐
“The Somali Sea is our nation’s lifeblood, providing livelihoods, food, and economic sustenance to countless Somalis. It’s our duty to protect and defend it against all threats, both foreign and domestic.
We must safeguard our marine resources from exploitation and pollution, and ensure that our waters remain a source of prosperity and pride for generations to come.
Let us stand united in defense of our Somali Sea, and work towards a future where our nation can thrive in peace, stability, and dignity. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and our ancestors to protect our territorial waters and preserve the rich marine heritage of Somalia
We must stand strong against illegal fishing, piracy, and toxic waste dumping. We must also protect our marine ecosystems and preserve the natural beauty of our coastline.
Kill them all and sink the boat. Out of sight out of mind. Sooner or later you will have killed them all. No more problems.
The current “piracy proliferation”, since the last few years, is nothing but “Big Business” run by “professionals” using, unemployed, jobless people whose nation has been torn to hell by the “Peacekeepers” & peoples’ lives & livelihood destroyed for “Good”. Result of Global Power Plays 👎
Piracy will end once illigal fishing in Somali coasts ends. Stick to your territories and stock tresspassing.