A tanker was boarded by six armed people who took control of the vessel and diverted it towards Somalia … UKMTO provided no further details and did not say whether the tanker or its crew were safe. [More]
The following is from “A Pirate’s Life for Me!,” one of my GUNS & AMMO columns from 2002:
Hoses against weapons. Trembling behind hatches. Everything but standing up on your sea-legs and fighting. How about just opening fire on them?
The IMO’s Captain Hartmut Hesse says armed guards on ships “will only increase violence, it will not deter the pirates.”
The IMO guide Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships, cautions “The carrying and use of firearms … is strongly discouraged. [It] may encourage attackers to carry firearms thereby escalating an already dangerous situation, and any firearms on board may themselves become an attractive target for an attacker. The use of firearms requires special training and aptitudes and the risk of accidents… is great.”
…Agreeing with Captain Hesse, and chastising Lloyd’s List for editorially suggesting otherwise, is Captain John Dalby of Marine Risk Management, a “maritime asset recovery and protection” company. While admitting “It is the sailors… who are being kidnaped, beached, set adrift … or summarily killed,” he warns that “only tragedy will result from inexperienced people trying to fight fire with fire. Leave intervention and reaction to those who are best equipped and trained for it.”
The thought strikes: Minnesota doesn’t have nearly enough of these types. And they’ll all vote Democrat.
Har!
