Pirates seize ship in wake of US rescue
In a brazen show of defiance, Somali pirates hi-jacked the merchant ship MV Irene E.M. The attack was a night attack.
Somali pirates hijacked a Greek-owned ship Tuesday in a rare night attack that showed their determination to continue striking shipping in the area's strategic waterways.
The brazen capture of the MV Irene E.M. was a clear sign the sea gangs had not been deterred by two raids in recent days by U.S. and French special forces that killed five pirates.
NATO Lieutenant Commander Alexandre Fernandes said the Portuguese warship NRP Corte-Real had received a distress call from the St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged bulk carrier as it travelled through the Gulf of Aden.
"There was only three minutes between the alarm and the hijack," Fernandes told Reuters aboard the warship.
"They attacked at night, which was very unusual. They were using the moonlight as it's still quite bright."
While the attack is seen as an act of defiance, the fact the pirates are moving to a night time raids and hi-jackings suggest they are more fearful of daylight attacks. So, this may in fact be a sign that the pirates are taking enforcement more seriously.
Categories: pirate news, modern pirating
Tags: somali pirates merchant ships
Oops, this article says the ship was Greek flagged. In fact, it was flagged by the Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and Grenadines.
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Having maritime security measures in place is vital if you are trading or conducting businesses in the horn of Africa (Somalia).
The rise in piracy in these areas of water is on the rise and there are many live piracy reports about robberies, vessel hijackings and kidnappings.
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