Good for these guys, I guess, but I still have some issues with this. The security force only had pistols to defend this boat with, and that is not good. They had to wait for the pirates to get close to be effective, and that is a terrible security plan. Especially if you are dealing with folks with machine guns and RPG’s. You must give the security force weapons that will help to keep the pirates away from the boat, as well as give them weapons that will be effective up close in case the pirates board. To arm a security force with only pistols is a joke, and as far as I am concerned, these guys were very lucky.
The other point I think needs mentioning, is how far these guys were from Somalia out in the open water.
Saturday’s attack occurred about 200 miles north of the Seychelles, and about 500 miles (800 kilometers) east of Somalia, according to the anti-piracy flotilla headquarters of the Maritime Security Center Horn of Africa.
Lt. Nathan Christensen, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy 5th Fleet, noted that the distance from the Somalia coast was a sign of the pirates’ increasing skill.
“It’s not unheard of to have attacks off the coast of the Seychelles, we’ve even had some in the past month,” he said. “But at the same time, it is a sign that they are moving further and further off the Somali coast,” demonstrating a “definite shift in their tactical capabilities.”
Obviously they are using a mother ship for these kinds of operations and they are getting better and better at this stuff. They are also trying to hit boats in areas where people least expect it or areas where a navy is not, which is smart as well. Armed security on the boat is vital, but just giving them pistols is unacceptable. Give them what they need to properly defend a boat, set up coordination with the navies for quick reaction force or even with other boats that are armed, and get serious about defending these ships. –Matt
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Italian Cruise Ship Fires on Somali Pirates
Sunday , April 26, 2009 AP
ROME —
An Italian cruise ship with 1,500 people on board fended off a pirate attack far off the coast of Somalia when its Israeli private security forces exchanged fire with the bandits and drove them away, the commander said Sunday.
Cmdr. Ciro Pinto told Italian state radio that six men in a small white speed boat approached the Msc Melody and opened fire Saturday night, but retreated after the Israeli security officers aboard the cruise ship returned fire.
“It felt like we were in war,” Pinto said.