The Virginian-Pilot
©
Somali pirates on Wednesday morning reportedly fired on a U.S. Navy helicopter as it did a routine surveillance flight over the vessel, according to a news release from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs in Bahrain.
The Navy SH-60B from the guided missile cruiser Chancellorsville, based in San Diego, was not hit and the crew did not return fire, the news release said. The helicopter was flying over the Taiwanese-flagged motor vessel Win Far, which was captured by Somali pirates April 6. It has since been used to conduct other known pirate attacks – most notably the container ship Alabama, owned by Maersk Line Ltd., a Norfolk-based shipping company.
During the Navy helicopter’s flight, the crew observed activity aboard the Win Far when it was about 3,000 yards away, but did not know they had been fired upon with a large-caliber weapon until they returned to the Chancellorsville and reviewed a video of the flight.
The incident occurred south of Garacad, Somalia, where the Win Far is currently held at anchorage.
More than 30 crew members remain as hostages aboard the pirated vessel, the news release said.
Lt. Nathan Christensen, a Bahrain-based spokesman for the Navy's 5th Fleet told the Associated Press that the shooting marked the first time pirates shot at Navy helicopters conducting daily surveillance flights over areas where pirates anchor hijacked vessels and await ransom.
Christensen said four other merchant ships and 105 crewmembers are being held by pirates near the Win Far and are anchored along Somalia's coast, between port towns of Hobyo and Eyl.
Piracy has increased in the Gulf of Aden and elsewhere off the coast of Somalia. Pirate attacks have more than doubled in the first half of 2009, according to an international maritime watchdog. Somalia has had no effective central government since 1991, and the country's interim government is embroiled in a struggle with Islamist extremists with suspected al-Qaida links.
That Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Somali intelligence...
okay, now, THAT makes sense. Because no Somali has the intellectual capacity to come up with strategic-level piracy planning on their own. I've always said Somalians' brain-capacity can produce a better understanding of the human mind if we include them with everyone else in a scientific study- and this again asserts my claim!
Why damage the ship? because
Why damage the ship? because according to the article "It has since been used to conduct other known pirate attacks – most notably the container ship Alabama,". I really don't see this as a good reason to endanger a boarding party, unless the pirates do something stupid to retaliate. Retrieving the ship would be up to the owners who would hopefully com prepared to repel boarders. No point in leaving them with a large platform to practice piracy with.
I'm not going to comment
I'm not going to comment much on tactics because I don't know much about the situation on site. I do hope that since this ship has been used to carry out further attacks the international force is locking it down and not allowing it to travel freely. I also think that this ship is our problem given its history and current "deployment" as a mother ship for pirates. At some point, the danger it presents to others is likely going to outweigh the danger to the crew of the ship involved in some sort of military action. Given the fact that this was the support ship used in the Maersk Alabama, I assume that letting them sail on their merry way is not part of the U.S. Navy's plans. My heart goes out to the captured crew and their families.
nice mission for the seals.
nice mission for the seals. Sneak in and blow to screw off the ship leaving it useless and then return undetected.
why damage the ship?
When the Taiwanese get around to paying the ransom, the ship will be released. Without a screw, it would need to be towed out of the area. Would you thus provide a sea-going tug as another target for the pirates?
I agree with sending in the SEALS. But let them take out the pirates (anyone not in SEALskins with a weapon) and free the crew. The owners of the Taiwanese ship can then reimburse the US Navy for necessary costs.
Right on, JET!
I was about to draft the very same comments. The vessel was captured on April 6th. What has taken the Taiwanese so long to come their aid? Of course, they have come to assume the U.S. will take care of the problem.
bottom of the sea
I predict the
" win far" will be on the bottom of the sea within weeks , and a few dumb ass pirates will end up as shark bait wait and see ,
Sick of Somali Pirates
U.S military, do more please.
Why?
Somali pirates on a Taiwanese -flagged motor vessel.
Doesn't sound like an American fight to me. Why put American boys and girls at risk. Where is the Taiwanese navy? I think that they have 6 Kang Ding (La Fayette Class) frigates and some subs at least.
The U.S. military is not a police force. They are there to destroy the enemy not to arrest him. If it is decided to sink the hijacked ships or Kill all on board, then send in the military but PLEASE don't send in our young people with their hands shackled. If you call for them, let them do their job with the freedom to do it safely.
1. there is an international
1. there is an international force off the waters of Somali conducting anti-piracy operations. The United States is part of this force. That makes it "our" fight.
2. There are upwards of the 30 hostages reputedly on board the ship. This makes simply blowing it out of the water undesirable.