Covering 17 - 23 May 2014 No. 21/14
Pirates kill fisherman; Nigerian successes but not winning; Boko Haram sanctions, Yacht search suspended; Bounty on Sewol ferry owner.
An Indian fisherman was shot and killed during an armed robbery at sea off the Bahraini coast. Four armed and masked robbers boarded and robbed the Bahraini dhow with 7 crew after random shots were fired. Confused messages from Nigeria this week.
Announcements of successes against oil thieves and illegal fishing boats off Nigeria were mixed in with media stories of the rescue of alleged 'hijacked' tanker, SP Brussels, the acquisition of additional ships, orders for increased Air Force surveillance and the admission to not winning the war against oil thieves due to "circumstances beyond their control." Nigeria and its neighbours vowed to work together to combat Boko Haram and, following a formal request, the UN Security Council has approved sanctions against the militant group, adding them to the al-Qaeda list of designated entities.
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"The deployment of the UN Guard Unit is an important
step as we continue to expand our operations
in support of the Somali people”
-UN ENVOY FOR SOMALIA NICHOLAS KAY
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The on-offon search for the missing crew of yacht Cheeki Rafki in the Atlantic Ocean has been suspended. The hull of the yacht was found in the North Atlantic with the life raft still onboard but no sign of the sailors.
A nationwide manhunt for the owner of the South Korean ferry has seen a reward o?ered for information on the whereabouts of the owner and his son; 17 bodies remain missing from the ferry.
Drought threatens Somalia and humanitarians are increasingly concerned about food reaching communities controlled by armed groups. With food insecurity, the risk of sliding back into crisis is very real. Regional concerns increased as Al Shabaab vowed to move their war to neighbouring Kenya which, incidentally, looks to boost tourism. A UN Guard nit was inaugurated to protect UN staff and installations in Mogadishu. Kenyan troops in Kismayo are to be replaced by Djiboutian peacekeepers.
Tension continues in Asia as China evacuates Chinese nationals from Vietnam following a wave of anti-Chinese riots. With Vietnam and the Philippines determined to oppose Chinese infringement of territorial waters, boundary disputes continue to concern.
A rather interesting move was seen via social media channel, Twitter, this week. Iran's IRGC posted a strategy for attacking US warships which involves deception and stealth to combat superior firepower. The search of a capsized river ferry in Bangladesh has recovered 54 bodies from the 200 on board, but survivors claim the number of passengers may have been double that figure.
As Syria relinquishes the remaining stockpile of chemical weapons, Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution to investigate war crimes in Syria.
South Korea is to break up its coastguard in the wake of the ferry disaster, said President Park, who formally apologised for the disaster with tears rolling down her face. An experimental underwater robot, the Crabster, was introduced to the ferry search.
A book and a movie trailer based on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has caused consternation, particularly with the claim of being shot down (book) and suggestion of a love triangle (film). In the meantime, the 'raw data' from the satellite company is to be made available. Underwater scientists criticise the Australian PM for playing politics in announcing the 'pings', but a former Malaysian PM has accused US intelligence of concealing the whereabouts of the plane.
The UN Contact Group meeting in NYC called for immediate release of seafarers still held captive in Somalia, endorsed measures to streamline work strands with a view to increasing regional participation. Oman advances counter-piracy efforts during a review of regional protocols. The EU is considering if the benefits from Op Atalanta outweigh the costs. Seychelles, is to set up a Marine Police investigation unit to reinforce maritime security capacity with equipment donation by EUCAP Nestor.
HMAS Darwin seized yet another haul of drugs making it seven during their latest deployment.
The 23rd of May saw the anniversary of the demise of everyone's idea of a 'swashbuckling pirate', Captain William Kidd in 1701.
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