Koora-Tuunshe Posted April 20, 2008 Somali pirates seize Spanish boat BBC April 20, 2008 A Spanish fishing boat with 26 crew on board has been seized by pirates off Somalia, officials in Spain say. They say the Playa de Bakio - a Basque tuna boat - was attacked about 250 miles (400km) off the coast. A source from the Basque regional government said the boat was in "international waters". The fate of the crew is unknown. Somali coastal waters are among the most hazardous in the world, despite the presence of US navy patrols. Grenade launchers A source from the Basque government's Agriculture, Fisheries and Food department told Spanish news agency Efe that four armed pirates took control of the boat using grenade launchers. The source said the crew was made up of 13 Africans and 13 Spaniards, and the boat suffered "some damage" in the attack but is "navigable". The boat is currently heading towards Somalia, the source added. It comes a few days after a Paris court charged six Somalis with taking a French luxury yacht's crew hostage earlier this month. The yacht's 30-member crew were held hostage for a week but released after its owners apparently paid a ransom of $2m (£1m; 1.3m euros). The pirates were then picked up by French commandos in a helicopter raid. Last year, more than 25 ships were seized by pirates in Somali coastal waters. Somalia has not had an effective central government for more than 17 years and is plagued by insecurity. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Emperor Posted April 20, 2008 Not even a week passed after that French hostage release and the tragic event that followed and now this... What's with the Somali pirates and again what's with the European boats getting into or close to the Somali sea... Walle waxbaa kala haysta... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chimera Posted April 20, 2008 http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2370113 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6128558.stm what a difference, dumb government can't even do that right.. (but what can you expect from a Sharmuuta government that doesn't know the meaning of 'sovereignty'?) Sharmuuta Official: well done mr Rodriquez, and yes you can try our citizens at your court in Madrid, no problem Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Geel_jire Posted April 21, 2008 ^ the French were stup!d and rash ... in capturing the pirates ... to the pirates it is just business not terrorism or even political statements .. if they got their ransom they would have just walked away .. but ...... no the french had to show off .. by using Gunship helicopters and fully armed soldiers on fisherman with assault rifles. now do you think the pirates will let the captives go once they get their ransom ... any death will be on the french Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar Posted April 21, 2008 Burcadbadeedkaan kuleel iyo qaboob ma igu haayaan, and I am sure many Soomaalis saas camal la tahay. My only concern is that markee attack gareyaan maraakiibta hay'adaha gargaarka u adeego, oo Soomaali baahan raashiin iyo caawinaad kale u wado. As well markee maraakiibta ganacsatada Soomaaliyeed leh isku dayaan inay qabsadaan. Anything else in Soomaali waters, to me, is fair game. For long ayee baddeena waxee doonaan ku sameynaayeen, haku shubaan sun, malaaygeygana ha iska dabtaan without paying any loyalties. I am sure waa hore joojiyeen kuwaas, now baddeena is the clearest from any foreign fishing boats probably in whole of Africa. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Koora-Tuunshe Posted April 21, 2008 ^They did a good job seizing a Fishing Boat. What is this fishing boat doing on Somali coast anyway? Ship heads to Somalia to find seized boat Apr 21, 2008 10:31 PM Spain has sent one of its ships to waters off Somalia, where pirates seized a Spanish tuna fishing boat with 26 people on board on Sunday, the foreign ministry said, adding that the crew seemed to be unhurt. Early on Monday, national radio quoted a man it said was the captain of the boat as saying everybody on board was well. A man who said he was one of the captors said in broken English that the pirates were Somalis and wanted money. Kidnapping and piracy are lucrative businesses in lawless Somalia and most Somalis treat their captives well in anticipation of a good ransom. The Spanish foreign ministry said 13 of the people on board the tuna fishing boat, called Playa de Bakio, were Spanish, and added it was in touch with governments with military presence in the area to help find the vessel. Media reported on Sunday that the boat was attacked with grenade launchers about 250 miles from the coast and boarded by armed men. They said the boat was heading towards the Somali coast. Six Somali pirates who seized a French luxury yacht and held its crew hostage for a week were arrested by French troops in the Somali desert last week after they handed over their 30 hostages and fled with their ransom. They were flown to France for questioning. Source: Reuters Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
