Salem-News.com Pirates articles Page 5

Pirates Free MV Hansa Stavanger Along With Crew

The box-ship with around 1,070 containers was sea-jacked by Somali sea-shifta on 3rd April 2009 400 km off the southern Somali port of Kismaayu.

(NAIROBI, Kenya) - "The nightmare of being held hostage in Somalia is over for five Germans, three Russians, two Ukrainians, two Filipinos, 11 Tuvaluans and one sailor from Fiji," according to Ecoterra International, a group in Africa that monitors the pirate situation off Somalia around the clock since 1986.

They say pirates freed the German owned, German-flagged MV Hansa Stavanger and the vessel is sailing - Ecoterra's sources confirmed.

Pirates Release German Ship and Crew for Ransom

Crew members aboard two separate vessels are all reported to be in good health.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Ecoterra reports that the ship MV Victoria, which was seized by pirates off the Somalia coast, was released overnight against a ransom payment of US$ 1.8 million.

Israel`s Piracy`s Sequel: The Silence of The Sheep

Humanitarian gestures such as relief ships and truck convoys may or may not get through, but they cannot alleviate the crisis that is Gaza nor bring Israel to heel.

(JACKSON, Miss.) - Israel’s hijacking last week of The Spirit of Humanity on the international high seas was a simple act of piracy. We have seen different reactions elsewhere to piracy, most notably off the coast of Somalia, or even to the kidnapping of embassy staff and humanitarian aid personnel.

In this case, as in previous instances of Israeli violations of international law, nothing has been done. Indeed, there has been almost no coverage of the incident anywhere in the mainstream media, and a shameless silence from sheep-like political leaders almost everywhere – a silence that needs to be examined carefully.

UN Deplores Campaign of Violence Against Somali Government

The Security Council has condemned the recent resurgence in fighting in the Horn of Africa nation, and called for the end of all hostilities.

(MOGADISHU) - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned the continuing armed attacks against Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government, expressing concern at the growing numbers of civilians killed, wounded and displaced by the violence.

Intense fighting between the Government and the opposition Al-Shabaab and Hisb-ul-Islam groups erupted in several north-west areas of the capital, Mogadishu, on 8 May, uprooting over 67,000 people, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Modern Day Pirates in London?

Somali pirates are guided by a London-based intelligence team, says report.

(MADRID) - A document obtained by Spanish radio station says 'well-placed informers' in constant contact by satellite telephone, reports the British newspaper Guardian copying the original reporting by Mariela Rubio for Cadena SER:

The Somali pirates attacking shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean are directed to their targets by a "consultant" team in London, according to a European military intelligence document obtained by a Spanish radio station.

Sea-Jacking of German-Owned MV Victoria Has Been Confirmed (PHOTOS)

Germany recalled its GSG-9 commando unit from the pirate-infested region over the weekend after deciding that attempting to storm another ship – the Hansa Stavanger – could have ended in a bloodbath.

(SOMALI COAST, Africa) - The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo vessel M/V Victoria had been hijacked by eight pirates in the Gulf of Aden whilst proceeding towards the Port of Jeddah in the Red Sea, the Antigua and Barbuda government said in a statement.

It added that the 7,767 gross ton, 146-metre general cargo vessel had a crew of ten and it was believed the hijacked vessel was being taken to the Somalian port of Eyl, a known pirate lair.

German-Owned Ship Seajacked by Pirates Near Muqalla

Pirates seized the cargo ship early Saturday in the Gulf of Aden about 150 nautical miles southeast of the coastal Yemeni city of Muqalla.

(MUQALLA, Yemen) - Pirates sea-jacked a cargo ship believed to be German owned and/or flagged and captured its 17-strong crew overnight in the Gulf of Aden, a Kenyan official said Saturday.

"A 31,000-tonne cereal carrier has been seized overnight (Friday to Saturday) in the eastern part of the Gulf of Aden," said Andrew Mwangura, of the Kenya-based East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme.

Reverend Benny & Mister Sid`s At Your Service #41

As always stay clear of pirate infested waters, carry your towel with you, and heed the friendly words "Don't Panic."

(Salem) - Well boys, if I were you and I were laid off and walking the streets of Salem or Portland, I wouldn't hang around here. Oh, I know: "There's no place like home," but when you get laid off it's time for adventure.

No kidding when I was in my 20's I got laid off from U. S. Steel in Gary, Indiana. Two of my buddies and I packed up our bikes, bought tickets for the Greyhound and headed out west.

Somali Bandits: Robin Hoods With an AK-47 and an Itchy Finger

Among his other accomplishments in life as a WWII Combat Vet, Physician and Forensic Toxicologist, Dr. Leveque is a Professor of Pharmacology who trained the first doctors in Tanzania, Africa.

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - Jamac Habeb, a 30 year-old self-proclaimed pirate, told the Associated Press “From now on, if we capture foreign ships and their respective countries try to attack us, we will kill them”. Now what was the next question?

Another comment was “Somali pirates until today were proud to have a humanitarian code of conduct”. I guess this is like stealing someone’s last food supply just because the bandit has an AK47!

Somali Pirates Vow Revenge for Deaths

The Navy was almost certainly justified in shooting the pirates, and it is also certain that the decision to do that will compound the difficulty for existing pirate hostages.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Activists in Africa with EcoTerra, who have been working with the Somali pirate issue for years, are dismayed over the recent gunning down of the teenage pirates who had held an American sea captain hostage in a lifeboat that was out of gas and dead in the water.

As it turns out, the pirates were killed while their boat was in tow by a U.S. Navy ship. They had willingly gone under tow when the Navy SEAL team opened fire on them.