Somali pirates who attacked the Beluga Fortune could not gain control of the ship after its crew retreated to a panic room. Image: Klearcho's Guide to the Galaxy

The Beluga Fortune is a German freighter that was seized by Somali pirates on Sunday. A scant 24 hours later, the pirates jumped ship and fled after the Beluga Fortune crew members locked themselves in a safe room and shut down the ship. Somalia’s lack of a functioning government has allowed piracy to flourish and attacks hit a five-year high in 2010.

Beluga Fortune beset by buccaneers

The Beluga Fortune was on its way from the United Arab Emirates to South Africa when Somali pirates attacked. The Associated Press reports that the pirates seized the ship about 1,200 miles east of Mombasa, Kenya. Reuters reports that when the pirates fired on the vessel, the freighter’s 16-man crew sent out a distress call and locked themselves in a panic room designed for protection from such an attack. From the room, the crew shut down the engines, cut off fuel and disabled the bridge.

Pirates peeved by panic room

Somali pirates have been frustrated by a panic room before, in September during the seizure of the German Freighter Magellan Star. Spiegal Online International reports that before American soldiers freed the ship just 22 hours after it was seized, the crew retreated to the safety room, a space selected to be hard to find and harder to break into. The room was stocked with food, drinks, medical equipment and supplies. The captain was in constant contact with the ship’s owners by satellite phone. It also had a secret emergency exit in case they needed to abandon ship. A spokesman for the Magellan Star’s owner told Spiegal “the pirates called our shipping company in desperation, wanting to know where the crew was.”

A snapshot of Somali piracy

Somali pirates have been a plague to shipping off the country’s coast since Somalia’s government collapsed in 1991. According to the European Union Naval force, Somali pirates are currently holding 19 ships and 428 hostages. The Strategy Page reports that Somali pirates carried out 44 percent of total pirate attacks in the last year. Since January, one crew member has been killed, and 27 have been injured. A total of 773 sailors have been held for ransom.

Sources

Reuters

Assocated Press

Strategy Page

Jeff-Goodall.com

Piracy is becoming an increasing problem in international waters. Image from the Cyber Law Center.

Early this morning in international waters just off the coast of the African state of Seychelles, the USS Nicholas exchanged fire with and captured a team of pirates. At 12:27 a.m., the USS Nicholas, a U.S. warship, started taking fire from a small skiff. The suspected pirates were attacking the ship in hopes of receiving emergency money. The USS Nicholas is currently holding the five suspected pirates.

USS Nicholas pirate attack

The USS Nicholas is a United States Navy warship, and it had been operating in international waters. Just west of Seychelles, the ship came under fire from three pirates in a small skiff. The USS Nicholas returned fire, at which point the skiff turned around. The USS Nicholas pursued the skiff, sank it, and captured the three suspected pirates. The USS Nicholas also captured the “mother ship” of the skiff, and two additional suspected pirates.

Seychelles pirate attack

The pirate attack on the USS Nicholas followed what has become the standard pirate plan of attack. A larger “mother ship” will go out to sea, then send out a small skiff with armed pirates. The pirates on the skiff will then attack and capture a ship and hold it until insurance or ransom money is received. Usually, pirates are paid the money and all parties go their separate ways.

International piracy on the rise

In the first half of 2009, the number of pirate attacks around the globe doubled, especially around the African continent. Piracy has also led to a boom in insurance policies and loan lenders, though there is now so much competition that the prices have begun to stabilize. The UN has also made statements about piracy, pointing out that it has a basis in the extreme poverty of many African nations.

Piracy in African Waters rises cost of shipping

Sources

Europa Newswire
Reuters Africa