[Mishmash] So Quiet

[Richard Barth]

At 10:55 PM 4/13/2009, I wrote:
>That may be a major part of the problem, Fred.  For the pirates, 
>it's a business.  For the shippers, it appears it's also a 
>business.  An article in the Post the other day quoted some expert 
>in the business as saying that it's cheaper for the shipping lines 
>to pay ransom than to protect their ships. Reasons include: 
>insurance rates go up if the crew is armed and  armed ships may not 
>be permitted to enter certain ports.  It appears that American crews 
>are being taught evasion tactics (such as zigzagging to avoid being 
>boarded) but not how to fight off pirates.  I'd be interested in 
>knowing how the crew of this ship managed to take back control from 
>the pirates.  Haven't read today's paper yet; it may be covered.
>
>There are mixed and confusing reports on exactly what happened.  An 
>early report said the captain offered himself as a hostage to 
>protect his crew.  Another, later on, said the crew had not only 
>repelled the pirates but taken one captive.  A bit of difference but 
>I've yet to find out where the truth lies.
>
>Once the captain and the four pirates were in the lifeboat, though, 
>the process was probably straight forward as far as the navy was 
>concerned.  Not having heard anything concrete, I visualize 
>something like this: The lifeboat is being circled by a destroyer, 
>and the pirates (at water level) can't see what's happening on 
>deck.  Seals go overboard on the far side of the deck where they 
>can't be seen.  They use rebreathing devices (are Momsen lungs still 
>being used?) to avoid making bubbles.  Swim to the lifeboat, 
>reconnoiter, and on a signal, surface and start firing at anything 
>that doesn't look American.   They already knew the general layout 
>from the UAV being used for surveillance. Wonder if that's how it 
>happened.  Anybody heard?

Well, I finally got around to reading yesterday's paper, and the 
truth apparently was somewhere in the middle.  The crew managed to 
trap one pirate in the engine room and capture both him and the ship. 
The captain offered himself as a hostage if the pirates would leave 
his ship, with their promise to release him once they were off.  They 
didn't keep their promise, since he was the only leverage they had 
with a U.S. destroyer staring them in the face.

A group of seals parachuted into the water and were picked up by the 
destroyer (which had since been joined by two other navy ships) and 
stationed a group of snipers on the fantail. A teenage pirate who had 
been injured in the takeover surrendered and was aboard the 
destroyer. Obama personally issued orders to take action if the 
captain's life was threatened. One of the three remaining pirates 
aimed an AK-47 at the captain's back, the on-site commander gave 
orders to the snipers to fire at will.  Result: three dead 
pirates.  A seal climbed down the tow rope (the destroyer was towing 
the lifeboat at the time) and took over the boat.  Captain taken on 
board the destroyer, given a chance to shower and get into some clean clothes.

A lot simpler than my idea, but hey, it would have made a good book.  :-)

Dick


Richard Barth *** W3HWN(at)ARRL.NET *** Silver Spring, MD