Somali Pirates Attack Cruise Ship

[megimoo]

Samali Pirates Attack Cruise Ship

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Somali-Pirates-Who-Will-Stop-Them-Asks-Skys-Greg-Milam/Video/200811315155589?lpos=video_Article_Related_Content _Region_10&lid=VIDEO_15155589_Somali_Pirates%3A_Who_Will_Stop _Them%2C_Asks_Skys_Greg_Milam


A luxury cruise ship carrying scores of British passengers has come under attack from Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden.The luxury cruise ship, Nautica, managed to avoid being hijackedTwo pirate boats opened fire on the six-star Nautica, as she sailed between Somalia and Yemen on Sunday.

The cruise ship, which carries 690 passengers and 386 crew, was sailing past several groups of fishing boats when two small skiffs tried to intercept it.Captain Jurica Brajcic began evasive manoeuvres when the pirates were about 1,000 yards away from the ship and managed to avert the attack.While cargo ships and small pleasure boats have been attacked by Somali pirates, this is only the second time they have attempted to hijack a cruise ship.

Three years ago, rocket-propelled grenades were fired at the Seabourn Spirit. Two of the ship's officers were injured.A Oceania Cruises spokesman said: "Nautica was immediately brought to flank speed and was able to outrun the two skiffs."One of the skiffs did manage to close the range to approximately 300 yards and fired eight rifle shots in the direction of the vessel before trailing off."


No one aboard the ship was harmed and no damage was sustained.The ship's main defence against attack, a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), was readied during the chase.It emits a high-powered beam of sound which, at close range, can shatter a person's eardrums.The six-star ship was carrying American, British and Australian passengers on a 32-day cruise from Rome to Singapore.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Somali-Pirates-Attack-Luxury-Cruise-Ship-Nautica-Carrying-British-American-And-Australian-Tourists/Article/200811415167952?lpos=World_News_First_World_News_A rticle_Teaser_Region_5&lid=ARTICLE_15167952_Somali_Pir

[nacho]

The ship's main defence against attack, a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), was readied during the chase.It emits a high-powered beam of sound which, at close range, can shatter a person's eardrums.

Whoa! Is this common on cruise ships?

[megimoo]

Whoa! Is this common on cruise ships?No it's new technology used so as not to make the pirates mad .What they really need is an armed mercinary band on every ship going past the horn of Africa with heavy weapons to change their minds and if not then anti-tank weapons to sink the little buggers !

[Lars1701a]

No it's new technology used so as not to make the pirates mad .What they really need is an armed mercinary band on every ship going past the horn of Africa with heavy weapons to change their minds and if not then anti-tank weapons to sink the little buggers !

With the size of these cruse ships you could put a 5 inch gun on it and not notice it :):eek::D

[biccat]

Why the heck do they not arm these cruise ships? It's only a matter of time until these pirates actually gain control of an unarmed cruise ship and have several thousand hostages to ransom.

[Speedy]

With the distances to targets on the seas it really would not take more than a few snipers and a couple of grenaders with RPGs or maybe a few TOWs. I think that the reason the attacks have been getting worse is because they have been able to act with impunity and do not believe that they stand to lose anything by escalating it. Like Al Qaida did with the Clinton adminstration.

[megimoo]

With the size of these cruse ships you could put a 5 inch gun on it and not notice it :):eek::DThe problem is the main deak is so high in the superstructure a five inch gun couldn't depress enough to hit them.You could mount a five inch to the stern on the boat deck but the field of fire would be limited to the stren only.These things are like a floating birthday cake with sheer high sides and about eleven decks to the top !The small boats the pirates use are flimsey and heavy machine gun fire would shred them .The pirates would just standoff and use RPG's and AK47's and tear up the cruse liners sides .

[Speedy]

The fun I could have with this on the open seas against asshat pirates.

http://www.tfns.co.uk/as50.jpg

[megimoo]

The fun I could have with this on the open seas against asshat pirates.

http://www.tfns.co.uk/as50.jpgEven better a 25 mm chain gun from a Bradley or a few SAW's !

[Speedy]

Even better a 25 mm chain gun from a Bradley or a few SAW's !

I don't know. Maybe it is just me, but I would favor the personal nature of picking out the guy I want to see with an exploded head and squeezing the trigger on him.

[nacho]

With the size of these cruse ships you could put a 5 inch gun on it and not notice it :):eek::D

Captain: "What, that? That's for...skeet..."