Today's Doofus award goes collectively to seven unnamed Somali pirates, who, it seems, need a few lessons in ship identification . . .
Seven Somali pirates chose the wrong target the other day: it was not the harmless oil-tanker they thought it was but the German navy's fuel tanker FGS Spessart, part of the European anti-piracy fleet Eunavfor sailing in the Gulf of Aden about 85 miles north of the Somali port of Bosaso.
Surprised by the military muscle that responded to their attack, the pirates attempted a get-away in their fast-boat. Unfortunately for them the surrounding waters were infested: the Dutch frigate De Zeven Provincien for NATO, the Greek frigate Psara commanding Eurnavfor's Atalanta operation. participating Spanish frigate Victoria and the USS Boxer.
A Spanish helicopter followed by a Dutch one were sent to disable the fast boat and the pirates were then stopped by Dutch sailors. The suspects were arrested and transferred to the German frigate Rheinland-Pflaz which is sailing to the Kenyan port of Mombasa.
The German government has said it will file charges against the seven suspected pirates.
Oops!
Peter
The most amazing part of this is that a German Naval captain is binding over pirates who attacked his ship to civilian authorities.
ReplyDeleteAlive, and uninjured.
How long ago would the pirates have been just another hole in the water after trying to commandeer a German vessel?
Regards,
Rabbit.
Perhaps this reveals a good counter piracy method.
ReplyDeleteQ-Ships!