Release after 4 months captivity; a ransom drop goes wrong; fewer attacks as pirates held in US plead guilty to piracy charges as South Korea sentences pirates; interim guidelines for armed security on ships; Seychelles agrees to accept pirates from Danes; notions of Somalia air and sea blockade whilst China supports attacking pirate bases ashore. South Africa looks to monitor its EEZ.
In the main, pirate activity has been lower as the weather begins to make it difficult for pirate operations. The onset of the southwesterly monsoon may result in attacks occurring in the Red Sea and Bab al Mandeb Strait, as seen in 2010. However, attacks remain likely in the Arabian Sea from a Dhow PAG whilst MV Orna was reported leaving the Somali Basin heading north-easterly into the Arabian Sea. The release of MV Khaled Muhieddine K following ransom payment is due once the money has been divided between pirates, whilst the release of two other vessels was jeopardised by the arrest of six men carrying bags of cash to transfer between two planes in Somalia. In the U.S. Federal Court, 10 pirates have pleaded guilty to the charges relating to the hijack of the US yacht, SY Quest, 5 others still face charges in the case. In South Korea, one pirate is sentenced to life in prison. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), during the 89th session of the Maritime Safety Committee, issued interim guidelines for the use of armed guards, or 'privately contracted armed security personnel' (PCASP) on ships in high risk areas. Pirates claim "we're not murders... we just attack ships", China signals a willingness to attack Somali Pirate bases ashore and the UN mulls over the idea of an air and sea blockade of Somalia, says the African Union. South Africa is looking to monitor its EEZ; all 1.5m square kilometres of opens sea as part of its maritime security strategy. In the meantime, the Danish foreign and defence ministers declare an agreement with the Seychelles to "accept, jail and prosecute" pirates captured by a Danish warship.
Pirate Activity
Over the last seven days in the high risk area of the Horn of Africa, five merchant vessels have been approached and/or attacked. None were successfully hijacked but two attacks saw at least 5 skiffs chasing the vessels. One vessel had as close an encounter as you can get without actually being boarded as pirates twice attempt to hook ladders onto the ships' rail. The vessel suffered damage to the bridge windows and a lifeboat. The two attacks were further thwarted by the arrival of a warship on the scene, including an Iranian warship responding to the call for assistance, demonstrating the international cooperation that is required to deter piracy.
Ransom and Release
The Togo-flagged, Syrian-owned bulk carrier, MV Khaled Muhieddine K, hijacked January 20 in the North Arabian Sea with a crew of 25, is due to be released following the payment of a $2.5million ransom. On the morning of May 26, 4 months after capture, pirates were believed to be counting and dividing the money prior to releasing the vessel Somalia Report.
Two merchant vessels that appeared to be in line to be released from pirate control, that is until the team charged with delivering the ransom payment were 'inadvertently' arrested in Mogadishu.
Two US, two British and two Kenyan operatives landing two planes were detained at Aden Adde international airport in Somalia in possession of $3.6million, said a Somali police official. He continued, "We learned that the money in the plane was to be offloaded to the other by pre-planned airport staff, then the destination was Hobyo." It is believed the money was to pay for the release of Egyptian-owned MV Suez and Chinese-owned MV Yuan Xiang, Somalia Report.
Pirates In Court
In the U.S Federal court has received guilty pleas by 10 Somali pirates, so far. A further 5 are still to face charges of piracy which carry a sentence of life imprisonment. The charges relate to the hijack of the U.S. yacht in February and resulted in the death of the four Americans on the yacht. The guilty pleas are part of a plea deal that could see them serving less than the mandatory life sentence. They all state that they were not party to the shooting of the U.S. citizens - seattlepi.com.
South Korea opened the trial, in Busan, of pirates arrested following the Navy Commandos rescue of the Samho Jewelry. Earlier today, it was announced that a Somali pirate was sentenced to life imprisonment for trying to murder the captain of the hijacked ship, while three others were sentenced to between 13 and 15 years in prison - Channel News Asia. When 15 commandos climbed aboard the freighter, six days after the pirates had taken the crew hostage, military officials back home monitored their every move via a remote camera system installed on each fighter's helmet and gun. The navy prevented the pirates from communicating with their mother ship by jamming the airwaves and radar, a media report said. The prosecution had earlier called for the death penalty for one of the pirates accused of attempting to kill the ships' Master - Yonhap News.
New Deal To Prosecute Pirates
In the latest development in Denmark’s strategy to help fight piracy in the Somali basin and off the east coast of Africa, the foreign and defence ministers announced on Wednesday a deal with the island nation of the Seychelles to prosecute pirates captured by the Danish warship, Esbern Snare, recently. Prior to this, reports the Copenhagen Post, the Danish warship had no recourse but to set the pirates it was catching free on land, due to a lack of an international procedure for their prosecution. Additionally, the deal includes that convicted pirates will thereafter be incarcerated in Somalia’s autonomous regions of either Somaliland or Puntland, an ongoing aim of UNODC and others in helping to provide a regional solution to the problem of containing the piracy.
Declaring Innocence?
In an article by The Guardian, Jay Bahadur relates how a pirate leader, Abdullhai Abshir, known as 'Boyah', claims to have been involved in the hijack of more than 25 ships in the Gulf of Aden. The pirate states, "we're not murders... we just attack ships". Things have moved on since then; the increase in violent attacks on vessels and the maltreatment of crew held hostage demonstrates the changes as the ransom payments become larger. Furthermore, 'Boyah' is currently held in a Puntland prison on piracy charges and was included in a recent report by U.S. Senator Mark Kirk during his fact-finding mission to the region (OCEANUSLive HoA Update 13 May).
Interim Guidelines for Armed Guards
In a BBC News report the International Maritime Organisation has issued interim guidelines for the use of armed guards, or 'privately contracted armed security personnel (acronym PCASP), on board ships transiting high risk areas. The IMO further states "if and when a flag State determines that such a measure would be appropriate and lawful. They are not intended to endorse or institutionalize their use and do not represent any change of policy by the Organization in this regard." Two associations lead the way in bringing together reputable security companies. They are IAMSP and SAMI.
China Acting Like A Superpower
In a move which also communicated a larger discussion to improve trust between the Chinese and U.S. military, during a visit to the U.S. this week, China's top military commander Chen Bingde suggested that the international coalition patrolling the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the coast of Somalia ought to take decisive action against pirate dens on land. The
TIME.com reports.
Blockade
The African Union, in the
Daily Nation report, has stated that the United Nations is actively considering an air and sea blockade of Somalia but gave no indication if a decision was imminent. The AU "
maintains that a blockade on Somalia is necessary to prevent infiltration of foreign insurgents into the Horn of Africa country and to cut off their supply lines, in addition to meeting the crippling piracy challenge."
Protecting SA Maritime Security
The South African Defence Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, in answering a parliamentary question, stated that the RSA "
maritime security strategy includes plans to cover the country's entire exclusive economic zone (EEZ)." It was stated in April that the Cabinet “
approved that the South African Defence Force [sic] should fine-tune its strategy to protect our waters from piracy. Being a littoral country, South Africa needs to have a balanced naval capability to effectively respond to maritime security threats affecting South Africa.” -
defpro.com.
And finally...
A view from the window of the P-3C maritime patrol of the German Navy on the east coast of Somalia. At a height of about 18,000 feet only white lines in blue water are visible. But these white lines are ships - 12 hijacked freighters and tankers, with their crews, at anchor in mid-April off the east coast of Somalia. Photo courtesy of
Handelsblatt.com.
Piracy eventsOver the last 7 days are:
Hijack:
5 Unsuccessful Attacks:
- May 21 at 0910 Local time, in position 2529N - 05731E, 16nm south of Rase Jask, Iran, a Malta-flagged container ship, Samin 1, came under attack by 5 skiffs with 25 robbers on board armed with RPG. Spotted by the ships' bridge crew at 10 metres astern of the vessel, the Master increased speed, conducted evasive manoeuvres, sent distress messages and contacted authorities as the crew prepared to enter the citadel. An Iranian warship responded to the distress call and the robbers moved away from the vessel. No damage or injuries were reported.
- May 22 at 0330 UTC in position 1546N - 06145E, approximately 460nm NE of Socotra Island, a Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier, Fortune Clover, was chased and fired upon by pirates in 2 skiffs. In a sustained attack, the pirates twice came alongside the vessel and attempted to hook ladders onto the ships' rail. The Master carried out evasive manoeuvres which saw the attack eventually aborted. The vessel suffered damage to bridge windows and a lifeboat.
- May 22, 0654 UTC, in position 1431N - 04213E, around 45nm west by south of Al Hudaydah in the Red Sea, a chemical tanker, Golden Yosa, was attacked by pirates in a skiff. However, the Master had raised the alarm, and carried out evasive manoeuvres whilst the embarked armed security team returned fire resulting in the attack being aborted.
- May 25, at 1510 UTC in position 1233N - 04326E, in the Bab al Mandeb Strait, a UK-flagged tanker, British Hazel, came under attack by 5 skiffs, the second attack using swarming tactics seen in 2009. The Master raised the alarm, increased speed and took evasive action. Coalition forces were contacted and a warship arrived on the scene to disperse the skiff attack. The vessel evaded the hijack attempt.
- May 25 at 1520 UTC, in position 1237.2N - 04319E, again in the Bab al Mandeb Strait, a Marshall Island-flagged container ship, Hanjin MIlano, was chased and attacked by pirates in 2 skiffs. The Master increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres and contacted a warship in the area. The vessel managed to evade the attempted capture.
Suspect Pirate Activity:
- Activity in the region has been somewhat quieter as the southwesterly monsoon is imminent. The naval actions
nearer to the coast of Somalia has combined to deter pirate movement. A Dhow PAG is likely to be operating in the Northern Arabian Sea and also in the Red Sea and Bab al Mandeb Strait. MV Orna (hijacked with 25 crew December 20, 2010) has been reported sighted in the Somali Basin on a north-easterly heading towards the Arabian Sea and, says the NATO Shipping Centre, is assessed to be likely conducting mothership operations but her intentions are not clear. In the situational map below the range of the vessel within a 12-hour period from the 0830 UTC report is indicated. - The Red Sea and Bab al Mandeb Strait, as seen by attacks this week, is likely to see increased activity due to the southwesterly monsoon, as was seen in 2010.
Currently Somali pirates are holding 518 hostages. Of those, 495 are crew members of 22 hijacked ocean-going vessels while 23 hostages are former crew members or passengers of CHOIZIL, ING, LEOPARD and ASPHALT VENTURE.
Vessels are reminded that the coalition forces' warships may not be in the vicinity of a pirate attack, subsequently, it is emphasised that seafarers can greatly reduce their chances of being pirated if they follow precautions as recommended in the Best Management Practices, increasing speed and carrying out evasive manoeuvres is a proven deterrent to piracy attacks.
Vessels are advised to exercise extreme caution when navigating in the vicinity of any reported positions of attacks and maintain maximum CPA with any ship acting suspiciously. Additionally, registration of vessel movement with MSC(HOA) prior to transiting the region is recommended. OCEANUSLive.org permits the reproduction of this image providing source and link are published (Map ToU)
Any suspicious activity should be reported to UKMTO in Dubai in the first instance (UKMTO or Telephone+971 50 552 3215) and on entering the UKMTO Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA) bound by Suez, 78E and 10S.
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