Pirates, Pirates Everywhere and no One Seems Able to Stop Them
The Voice of Bahrain Daily News does a nice wrap on pirate activity over the last week or so.
Coalition ships that are part of a multinational headquarters located in the Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain reportedly witnessed the seizing of a Danish cargo ship, the latest to be taken by Somali pirates.
The Danica White and its crew of five were hijacked early Saturday in view of a French warship that was unable to cross into Somali territorial waters to offer help.
On Tuesday, a US Navy warship reportedly shot flares, fired warning bursts and unleashed a volley that set fire to three small boats being towed behind the cargo ship.
However, pirates had already successfully taken the Danica White out of international waters and towards a known pirate camp.
The US Naval Forces Central Command and US Fifth Fleet told the GDN that American and coalition forces are to closely monitor the latest situation from international waters.
US Navy dock landing ship, USS Carter Hall, called the Danica White to ask if it needed help, despite the cargo ship never radioing for assistance, US Fifth Fleet spokesman Lieutenant John Gay told the Navy Times.
“They made several calls and tried to hail the ship,” he said.
“They responded they were under control of pirates.”
The hijacked ship then tried to get the Carter Hall to change course so it could proceed to Somali waters unobstructed, which was when American sailors spotted at least one armed man on the freighter’s bridge wing, said Lt Gay.
That was when the amphibious ship’s guns opened fire.
“As long as they are in international waters, they can engage,” explained Lt Gay.
But the hijacked Danica White made it into Somali waters and the Carter Hall had to back off and watch.
“We’re observing them at this point,” said Lt Gay.
“It’s ongoing.”
The Carter Hall, a ship designed to haul Marines and their gear, left its homeport of Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginai, in April without a marine contingent on what was described as catch-all “maritime security operations” in the Middle East.
Lt Gay said the Carter Hall is in the waters off eastern Africa specifically for “anti-piracy search operations”.
The waters off the vast coastline of lawless Somalia has proved a hazardous passage in recent years, with several pirate attacks on commercial shipping as well as cruise ships.
Carter Hall is currently assigned to Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, which is a multinational headquarters located in the NSA Bahrain.
Coalition nations in the task force include France, Germany, the UK and the US.
The maritime force of warships patrols the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean against pirates and other trans-national threats.
Last Friday, a US Navy destroyer is reported to have bombarded a terrorist position in Somalia, although officials would not provide any details.
Meanwhile, a South Korean naval officer is reportedly still in Bahrain, working to help secure the safe release of the crewmembers being held by Somali pirates since May 15.
Pirates are reportedly demanding $700,000 (BD264,600) ransom for the release of the four Koreans, three Vietnamese, four Indonesians, three Indians and 10 Chinese - all crewmembers of the Korean fishing vessels Mavuno 1 and Mavuno 2.
South Korean Navy Lieutenant Commander Byoung Hyeol Kim arrived in Bahrain from Kuwait on May 20 to secure the release of crewmembers.
Shortly after the seizure of the Korean vessels, the Bahrain-based Maritime Liaison Office (Marlo) issued a warning for all ships in the region to be on their guard when travelling near the coast of Somalia.
The advisory, which is still in effect, follows a resurgence of piracy off the coast of the African nation.