NEW DELHI, India ( Dec.13-08 ) The Indian navy seized 12 Somali and 11 Yemeni suspects, two small boats and a substantial cache of arms and equipment in the Gulf of Aden, between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula Indian officials reported.
International Maritime Bureau said armed men have been staging increasingly bold hijackings on nearly 100 vessels off Somalia's coast, the Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean this year alone. Insurance costs have increased as foreign navies have rushed to protect merchant shipping. Sea gangs often take crew and passengers hostage and demand a ransom and still hold some 20 ships, among them, a Saudi "supertanker" loaded with $100 million worth of crude oil.
Navy spokesman Commodore James Norrington claimed the warship responded to a distress call Saturday morning from the MV Gibe, a merchant vessel sailing under an Ethiopian flag. Upon arrival, 13 nautical miles from the Mysore, Norrington reported they witnessed the two ships side by side firing small arms at one another. Ropes extended from the deck of the aggressor ship 30-40 feet above to the rails of the merchant ship. Men appeared to be dressed in 15th century garb attempted to climb the ropes but were hendered by the lack of traction of their wooden prosthetics.
The Indian Navy launched an armed helicopter which drew astonished looks from the attackers. Shouts of "shiver me timbers" could be overheard as the pirates boarded back in their vessels and attempted to flee. The warship quickly caught up to the boat which was described as a non-motorized, 600 year old galleon bearing the Jolly Roger and identified as the Black Pearl.
The 23 suspects surrendered peacefully but under protest. "Avast ye scurvy dogs, we not be Pirates!" said Captain Chumtooth the apparent owner of the vessel, "why, we were jus' out for a harmless weekend cruise, plan'n on simply lounging around the poop deck drinking a pint of grog or two. We not be a' plunner'n for booty, noooooooooot us."
The crew was immediately arrested, in addition to maritime pirating they will be charged with sexually harassing the female members of the Navy who, the entire voyage home, had to listen to wise cracks about their "fine treasure chest", everyone claiming to be named "Long John Silver", speculations of where they would like to drop anchor, which portholes they would fire their cannons and repeated requests to "blow me down".
International Maritime Bureau said armed men have been staging increasingly bold hijackings on nearly 100 vessels off Somalia's coast, the Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean this year alone. Insurance costs have increased as foreign navies have rushed to protect merchant shipping. Sea gangs often take crew and passengers hostage and demand a ransom and still hold some 20 ships, among them, a Saudi "supertanker" loaded with $100 million worth of crude oil.
Navy spokesman Commodore James Norrington claimed the warship responded to a distress call Saturday morning from the MV Gibe, a merchant vessel sailing under an Ethiopian flag. Upon arrival, 13 nautical miles from the Mysore, Norrington reported they witnessed the two ships side by side firing small arms at one another. Ropes extended from the deck of the aggressor ship 30-40 feet above to the rails of the merchant ship. Men appeared to be dressed in 15th century garb attempted to climb the ropes but were hendered by the lack of traction of their wooden prosthetics.
The Indian Navy launched an armed helicopter which drew astonished looks from the attackers. Shouts of "shiver me timbers" could be overheard as the pirates boarded back in their vessels and attempted to flee. The warship quickly caught up to the boat which was described as a non-motorized, 600 year old galleon bearing the Jolly Roger and identified as the Black Pearl.
The 23 suspects surrendered peacefully but under protest. "Avast ye scurvy dogs, we not be Pirates!" said Captain Chumtooth the apparent owner of the vessel, "why, we were jus' out for a harmless weekend cruise, plan'n on simply lounging around the poop deck drinking a pint of grog or two. We not be a' plunner'n for booty, noooooooooot us."
The crew was immediately arrested, in addition to maritime pirating they will be charged with sexually harassing the female members of the Navy who, the entire voyage home, had to listen to wise cracks about their "fine treasure chest", everyone claiming to be named "Long John Silver", speculations of where they would like to drop anchor, which portholes they would fire their cannons and repeated requests to "blow me down".
~Posted by DaDougster
The movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" was nominated for a Golden Globe Thursday. It's the story of a man who is born old and gets younger with the passing of time. Apparently, the writer got inspired by the life of Kenny Rogers.
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