Piracy off Somalia’s coast continues as the crew of the Maersk Alabama prepares to head home to the U.S., some telling their frightening tales to the media and others choosing to remain silent. The incident on the Maersk Alabama was unprecedented. Never before in the piracy saga off Somalia’s coast has a crew managed to fend off attacking pirates while on board, lose their captain to a hostage situation and then end up victorious with their captain being freed and most of the pirates taken out by U.S. sniper fire. Worrying is that some pirates have vowed revenge on U.S. ships and those Americans who sail on them, and Somali vengeance is nothing to take lightly; especially when the reality is that piracy will not be eradicated tomorrow. In all, 18 ships and more than 220 people are still held hostage by pirates. On Tuesday, Somali pirates seized a Greek-owned ship in a nighttime attack, indicating they aren’t about to drop their very lucrative business just yet, even though a total of five pirates were killed by U.S. sharpshooters in the Maersk ship incident and in the raid by French forces on a yacht. Last year these modern day pirates grabbed news headlines when they brazenly seized a Saudi Arabian supertanker – considered the world’s largest sea hijack – carrying about $100 million worth of crude oil. Another amazing hijack was the capture of a Ukrainian ship with a massive military cargo in its hold, including 33 Soviet-era tanks. A country that has been without a solid government since Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991, Somalia has defied all odds and continued to limp along with continued fighting, an interim government that wields some - but not much - control and no infrastructure to speak of. more..http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/04/14/world/worldwatch/entry4943823.shtmlNew wave of Somali pirate attacks
Somali pirates have hijacked a fourth vessel in 48 hours, seizing a Lebanese-owned cargo ship.
The 5,000-tonne Togo-flagged MV Sea Horse was taken by gunmen in up to four skiffs, Nato officials said. Earlier, pirates hijacked a Greek-owned bulk carrier, the MV Irene, in the Gulf of Aden. On Monday, Somali raiders captured two Egyptian fishing boats. Analysts say the gangs are clearly not put off by recent US and French hostage rescues that left several bandits dead. Somali pirate leaders - who have generally treated captives well in the hope of winning big ransom payouts - vowed on Monday to avenge the deaths. Attacks rise Nato officials said another ship - the Liberian-flagged Safmarine Asia - escaped on Tuesday after coming under fire from pirates in several small boats. ..more..http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7997610.stm
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