First a load of Russian tanks, now a couple million barrels of oil.
Only a matter of time before they take an aircraft carrier.
Quote:
Pirates have seized a giant Saudi-owned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean off the Kenyan coast and are steering it towards Somalia, the US Navy reports.
The US-bound tanker was captured on Saturday some 450 nautical miles (830km) south-east of Mombasa, and is now approaching the Somali port of Eyl.
The Sirius Star is carrying its full load of 2m barrels - more than one-quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output.
I would think Saudi Arabia would be a little miffed about this. Don't they own a bunch of American military hardware?
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Realistically, it's a very busy water way and there are too many ships to protect. The pirates use small and fast speed boats that are undetectable to everything except to the more advance military ships. Pirates hit and run ships that are vulnerable, especially at night. Pirates sneak aboard and rush the bridge and Engine room and force the ship Somali waters. Later, additional pirates board the ship and begin their demands.
I read this story this morning. First thought in my head, wtf are these guys going to do with that much oil? Sell raw barrels of oil in the back alley?
Couldn't they just do security onboard the ships as they go through the area? Board at the start, disembark at the finish and join up with another boat?
5-6 fellas up there throwing rocks down at the speedboats would do the trick.
Seriously though, say 8 men armed to the teeth with the height and weaponry advantage should be able to take out a few speedboats. No Somali government to answer to as well.
I'm still curious how they managed to board the tanker. I watched one of the supership programs on Discovery a few nights back and they were showing the crew going through a pirate defence drill. Consisted mostly of water cannons spread around the ship.
And this was for a load of cows.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blankall
I read this story this morning. First thought in my head, wtf are these guys going to do with that much oil? Sell raw barrels of oil in the back alley?
In 2005, Somali pirates tried to hijack the cruise ship Seabourn Spirit by firing on it with small arms and a RPG that stuck in the hull but did not explode. The crew fought them off using water canons.
Here's a cool photo of a Dutch Frigate escorting Holland America Line's Prinsendam off the coast of Africa.
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"All our people have now left the Sirius Star. The ship is free, the crew is free," Mohamed Said, one of the leaders of the pirate group, told the AFP news agency.
A man described as an associate of the pirates, Farah Osman, added that the pirates released the ship after receiving a $3m (£1.95m) ransom payment.
"Pirates holding the Saudi ship took $3m yesterday evening and then released the ship this morning," he told Reuters news agency.
Have to wonder if the increased risk will force boats to arm-up heavily though. Eventually the pirates are going to try and take over a ship that is anticipating them.
Somali pirates capture oil tanker.
