Matt sent me this one via iPhone, and I think that is a FJ first. (PMC 2.0) Although many folks write me via smart phone, Matt actually sent me a story that is certainly funny and pertinent.
I thought to myself, you just can’t make this one up. These dorks are so blinded by greed and bravado, that they actually attacked a Naval vessel thinking it was a commercial boat? Bwa ha ha ha ha.
Or we can look at this another way. The Q Ships that I talked about awhile back, seem like more of a better idea all the time. I think we could catch quite a few flies with that kind of bait. Something to think about for you naval strategists out there that are running the maritime security effort. –Matt
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Somali Pirates Mistake French Military Vessel for Commercial Ship
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Somali pirates in two skiffs fired on a French navy vessel early Wednesday after apparently mistaking it for a commercial boat, the French military said. The French ship gave chase and captured five suspected pirates.
No one was wounded by the volleys from the Kalashnikov rifles directed at La Somme, a 3,800-ton refueling ship, said Rear Admiral Christophe Prazuck, a military spokesman.
La Somme “was probably taken for a commercial ship by the two small skiffs” some 250 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, said Prazuck.
“They understood their mistake too late,” Prazuck said.
One skiff fled, and La Somme pursued the second one in an hour-long chase.
“There were five suspected pirates on board. No arms, no water, no food,” Prazuck said.
France is a key member of the European Union’s naval mission, Operation Atalanta, fighting Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden. It has aggressively tracked and caught suspected pirates and handed over at least 22 to Kenya. An additional 15 suspects were brought to France for prosecution after allegedly seizing French nationals’ boats.
President Nicolas Sarkozy called for tougher action against piracy last year after dozens of attacks.
Story here.