Private Yacht hijacked off Yemen then rescued same day as Danish family release! September 11, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: Armed escort, gulf of aden, gulf of aden security, InfoSec, maritime piracy, Maritime Security, Piracy & Maritime Security, risk management, somali pirates, Somalia
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On the day that a Danish family was released after months in captivity, an unidentified sailing yacht was taken by pirates on September 08, 2011 off the coast of Yemen: Latitude 15 27 N Longitude 052 14 E.
The yacht has now been identified as the catamaran TRIBAL KAT, heading west to east and crewed by the owners, a French couple Christian and Evelyne Colombo. The pirates’ vessel was sunk by a Spanish warship the SPS GALICIA and Evelyne Colombo recovered unharmed and 7 pirates arrested, however, her husband Christian is missing and is reported to have been killed during the initial hijack.
Owners of private vessels are urged to seriously consider avoiding High Risk Waters, as we’re seeing an increase in the numbers of private vessels attacked. As is the tragic case here, pirates are becoming far more violent with killing of hostages during violent takeovers becoming routine.
Pirates Release MV Panama after $7 Million US Ransom Paid September 6, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: Armed escort, Chris Mark, InfoSec, Maritime Security, Piracy & Maritime Security, Ransom, somali pirates
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According to Reuters Africa, Somali pirates released the MV Ransom after a reported $7 million US ransom was paid. The vessel was hijacked on December 10th, 2010 while from Tanzania to Mozambique with a crew of 23 from Myanmar aboard. Based upon recent reports it appears that while the number of successful hijackings are down in 2011, the amount being paid for ransom is increasing sharply. The last two reports had an average ransom of $7.5 Million US paid to pirates. As shipping companies continue to arm their vessels some have posited that attacks will become more violent. I would suggest that not only will the hijackings become more violent but the pirates will demand a higher ransom as they have fewer lucrative targets to attack.
Detained 3 Al Qaeda members reveal plot to blow up commercial tankers! September 5, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: Armed escort, armed security, gulf of aden security, InfoSec, Maritime Security, Piracy & Maritime Security, somali pirates, Somalia
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ISLAMABAD — Pakistani intelligence officers working with the CIA arrested three members of Al Qaeda including a top operative believed to have been tasked by Usama bin Laden with targeting American economic interests around the world, Pakistan’s army said Monday.
Younis al-Mauritani’s arrest — made public five days before the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks — was seen as a blow to Al Qaeda’s central leadership in Pakistan, further degrading its ability to mount terrorist attacks abroad. The terrorist organization has seen its senior ranks thinned since Usama bin Laden was killed May 2 along with Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, the group’s No.2, in a CIA missile strike last month.
The statement said al-Mauritani was mainly responsible for Al Qaeda’s international operations and was tasked by bin Laden with hitting targets of economic importance in America, Europe and Australia. It said he was planning to target U.S. economic interests including gas and oil pipelines, power generating dams and oil tankers transiting in international waters by using explosive-laden speed boats to attack them.
It named the other two detainees as Abdul-Ghaffar al-Shami and Messara al-Shami.
U.S. officials were not immediately available for comment. The U.S. has said it doesn’t know of any specific Al Qaeda plot to attack the U.S. ahead of Sept. 11.
Were 17 Algerian sailors abducted by Somali pirates killed? August 10, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: Armed escort, Chris Mark, gulf of aden, gulf of aden security, InfoSec, maritime piracy, Maritime Security, Piracy & Maritime Security, risk management, somali pirates, Somalia
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The MV Blida, an Algerian-flagged bulk carrier with a crew of 27, including 17 from Algeria, was captured in January 2011 by Somali pirates around 150 miles southeast of Salalah in southern Oman.
Recent reports indicate that the seventeen seafarers have been killed by Somali pirates, however Algeria denied on Sunday reports over the death of its seventeen sailors abducted in Somalia, saying the 17 Algerian sailors were safe and sound.
Algerian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Amar Belani, was quoted by the Algerian official news agency (APS) as saying that they have made the required contacts, and it appeared that all their compatriots abducted by Somali pirates are safe and sound.
Belani rubbished the reports about the sailor’s death saying that there are hopeful that all the sailors would be able to confirm sooner to their relatives that they’re alive, emphasizing that authorities will keep working to free them as soon as possible.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry had promised family members of the abducted sailors to free them in July, noting that the government stood firmly against paying any ransom to the pirates.
Largest attack by pirates to date on single vessel! August 7, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: Armed escort, Chris Mark, gulf of aden security, InfoSec, Maritime Security, Piracy & Maritime Security, somali pirates
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The largest recorded attack on a single commercial vessel transiting the Gulf of Aden occurred in the southern Red Sea 30 nm north west of Bab-el-Mandeb by twelve (12) skiffs at approximately 1520Z in position 1302N 04307E.
The vessel managed to evade hijack and fortunately no crew members were hurt, however, this attack–a first–is unlike anything anyone has seen to date. The pirate action group is still in the Red Sea by the mouth leading into the Gulf of Aden. A perfect “fatal funnel” in tactical terms.
There have been dozens of attacks in this area this year and shipping companies are urged to use extreme caution and take preventive measures to ensure they don’t become a costly statistic.
Global Security, Privacy, & Risk Management 