A cargo ship owned by a German shipping business, the Beluga Fortune, had been blocked from its route through the ocean on which it floated by criminals from a country on the horn of Africa called Somalia, which would make those who stood within the way of said vessel Somali pirates, technically speaking. A scant 24 hours later, the pirates jumped ship and fled following the Beluga Fortune team members locked themselves in a safe room and shut down the ship. The failed state of Somalia has seen piracy increase off its coast line to the greatest level recorded in almost 5 years. Source of article – Beluga Fortune free after frustrated Somali Pirates flee by Personal Money Store.
Beluga Fortune incurs buccaneers
The Beluga Fortune was on its way from the United Arab Emirates to South Africa when Somali pirates attacked. The vessel had been only 1,200 miles east of Mombasa, Kenya when the pirates got it, accounts the Associated Press. Reuters reports that when the buccaneers fired on the vessel, the freighter’s 16-man team sent out a distress call and locked themselves in a panic room intended 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 are frustrated by a panic room before, in September throughout the seizure of the German Freighter Magellan Star. American soldiers freed the ship only 22 hours following it was taken, reports Spiegal Online International. The team went into a room that was hard to discover and harder to break into called a safety room. The room had all the supplies and equipment needed. There was also food and drink in there. The captain was in constant contact with the ship’s owners by satellite phone. Also, if there was a need for the men to abandon ship, there had been a secret emergency exit. A spokesman for the Magellan Star’s owner told Spiegal “the pirates called our shipping company in desperation, wanting to know where the team had been.”
A snapshot of Somali piracy
Shipping off of Somalia is hard since there are so numerous Somali pirates there. Since 1991 when Somalia’s govt collapsed, there have been buccaneers like these. 19 ships and 428 hostages are being held captive by the Somali pirates, accounts the European Union Naval force. Based on the Strategy Page, the Somali pirates do lots of pirate attacks. In fact, within the last year 44 percent of pirate assaults originated from them. There has only been one death this year for a crew member. 27 others have been injured though. 773 sailors have been kept for ransom though.
Citations
Reuters
reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69O3PB20101025
Associated Press
google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jhf_eEAne8QCbP_9nViK4DY-n1MA?docId=115bc0cbadeb42168886f496e28510be
Strategy Page
strategypage.com/htmw/htseamo/articles/20101025.aspx
Jeff-goodall
jeff-goodall.com/?p=2241
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