Pirates free weapons ship after receiving ransom
The Ukrainian ship captured last year that was carrying tanks, RPGs and other small arms has been abandoned by the pirates after they received a $3.2 million ransom. Kenya Broadcasting Corporation reports:
Pirates had initially demanded a ransom of $20m, but reports suggest that a figure of $3.2m (£2.2m) was agreed.
The US navy said that a ransom appeared to have been dispatched on Wednesday and Mikhail Voitenko, said to be a spokesman for ship owner Vadim Alperin, later said that the pirates were “counting the haul”.
Early on Thursday groups of pirates began leaving the vessel, reports from Haradhere said. Representatives of the pirates then told journalists that the ship had been freed.
I wonder how much of its cargo has already made it into the hands of rebels and insurgents across the continent. The real tragedy is that the criminals now know that despite a naval presence in the area representing just about all the worlds navel powers, ransoms will be paid. Great precedent.
Almost makes you hope they were smart enough to include some Anthrax with the ransom payments.
I hate to be pedantic, but it’s spelled ‘naval’. A navel is a belly button.
In all other respects, this is a stellar blog; keep up the good work!
Except it wasn’t an American ship attacked and they didn’t really ask for our help, I’d say send in SEALs under water while distracting with Marines in hovercraft, etc, and drop the A Bomb on ‘em
(or instead of the A Bomb Airborne Rangers/USMC Reconnaisance Man, Parachute qualified.
#3, thanks
Spelling fixed.
What I want to know is how in the hell a ship full of WEAPONS, including RPGs and, one would assume, rifles, could get hijacked by a bunch of assholes in a fishing boat. These pirates aren’t exactly renowned for their sophistication, training, and numbers, and generally rely on the fact that they have a handful of guns whereas the crews of the ships they’re hijacking do not have any. But this crew had plenty. What the hell?
cory, easily, crew generally are not allowed to carry weapons, in fact I think the crew only numbered about 20. Ships basically rely on anonymity for security. I once read that diamonds are often sent with standard couriers in Africa disguised as another type of good, and the insurance companies are happy with that, much better not to draw attention to what you are sending.
So, crime does pay. Mediocre humor aside, while it is sad that the naval powers of the globe don’t seem to be able to do much, the rest of the story is that there is an awful lot of ocean out there. And, while the respect and/or fear of the world’s naval forces is likely diminished, I doubt there was much of that in the first place. These folks who capture these vessels do not awaken with the same warm fuzzy that we do every day.
In my humble opinion, the real tragedy begins when these robust weapons end up in the hands of those who would rather do harm.
I really don’t get it. With all of the Spetnaz operatives looking for something to do, why couldn’t they just send in a few teams to take their ship back? Maybe they were too busy being hired out to rogue armies for hard currency.
The pirates beat a hasty retreat to their inflattable. Surf had kicked up and they soon foundered, 3 managd to stay with the overturned boat and made it to shore, one swam in, the remainder drowned. Money and bodies later washed ashore spreading the wealth those that combed the shorelines..
Very interesting ending…