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Article: Chased by colonel's kadaffy libyan navy

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    Chased by colonel's kadaffy libyan navy

    0 Comments by Captain Nico Published on 26th December 2018 01:44 PM
    September 1973 we were loading general cargo in Millwall docks London. Chartered by ELLERMAN CITY LINERS for Mediterranean ports. It still was a lovely port stay in those days being traditionally loaded with shore gangs who worked from 8 in the morning till 5 PM. Saturdays and Sundays excluded. Loading took around 14 days before all packs/cases/drums/whisky/cigarettes/Jaguars/and boxes with fresh printed pounds for Cyprus and Malta were safely stowed and lashed. Same giving us ample time to spent evenings for Chinese dinner and seeing movies on Leicester square before heading back to the pub for a beer and walking to the ship. Being unaware that President ANWAR SADAT from Egypt had made an agreement with President ASAD from Syria to attack ISRAEL on October 06 in what later was being called the JAM KAPOER WAR. The DUTCH government announced being supportive for ISRAEL... which affected us in a later stage.

    We departed from LONDON docks and sailed to Algiers to unload the first parcels of cargo. Next port was Tripoli Libya. No problem experienced clearing in and bringing the vessel alongside. Stevedores embarked and commenced discharging the Tripoli cargo.

    Suddenly around 8 heavily armed soldiers came on the gangway and pointed their guns to me. "You captain? Lower down the Dutch flag". I asked them what was wrong with the flag, it was not torn or dirty... so why I have to lower down the flag. "No discussion you lower down the flag...NOW ... " they insisted and almost pressed their guns in my belly. So what to do ... we lowered down the flag. And this was only the beginning of the story. All stevedores left the vessel without any notice and the agent was in no way to be seen. Did not show up at all. Pilot came on board and we were anchored in the bay of Tripoli. The next day I decided to go ashore with the lifeboat and head for the Dutch Embassy. I was on easy terms with them since during our previous calls at Tripoli one of their employees used to visit us and have a few beers. Which was at that time strictly prohibited in Libya. I managed to make a call to Ellerman City Liners in London being warned by the Embassy not to talk about any political issue since the Libyans checked the conversation and could stop the call without any warning. I just asked London what to do. They said "Captain proceed to Benghazi where all Tripoli cargo will be discharged." So I called the pilot and we left carefully navigating thru a minefield whilst seeing hundreds of dead sheep floating in the see since a Libyan livestock ship had struck one of their own mines!

    Upon arrival Benghazi roads we noticed a lot of Russian ships waiting to offload their army cargo, Although I called the harbor master or port master or harbor authority repeatedly there was no response at all. Being a DUTCH vessel we were completely ignored/ We were down on fresh water. So we stopped all the bathing facilities and kept the remaining fresh water for cooking our food. So all 11 crew got a bucket of fresh water for emergency only. For keeping our bodies fresh and healthy we swam in the Gulf of Sirte twice daily which was actually quite funny. Nobody complained. This lasted 10 days. And everyday I monitored and listened to Scheveningen radio if there was any traffic on hand for our vessel. And yes finally after 10 days the lady of Scheveningen radio mentioned our callsign PAPPA GOLF NOVEMBER NOVEMBER. What to do? The radio was sealed, So was the bonded store. I decided to break the seal and caljed Scheveningen radio. Immediately the lady answered and asked my position. I told her just to give me immediate the message and that I could not give her any info. She was a wise lady and said PROCEED IMMEDIATELY TO BEIRUT. Thank you and I closed the conversation. I waited till 7 pm while complete darkness had set over the gulf of Sirte. We had distinguished all lights of the vessel and the chief mate went forward with and AB to retrieve the anchor. Quietly I maneuvered the vessel out of the anchor area and headed on a northerly heading leaving Benghazi behind us. An hour later or so the crew came to me and asked if they could get cigarettes and beer out of the bonded store. In those days all good seamen still happily smoked and drank beer. I was still on the bridge watching the radar whilst steaming along the dark unlit Libyan coast since no other means of navigation available in those lovely days. An hour or so later I noticed a target from the port of Benghazi approaching our vessel. She approached us relatively fast with our full speed of only 14 knots. Coming closer and closer until she was at around a cable of our stern when a huge searchlight was lit and pointed at our stern. Displaying our name OOSTEREEMS and homeport DELZIJL very clearly. I could also clearly see the armed navy guys on the fore ship having their guns ready for immediate action. I realized I was in deep trouble at that time. Departing from Libya without a proper clearance. Hence no port dues or light dues or whatsoever had been paid. That was only the first problem. The second one was the breaking of the RADIO SEAL ... and making contact in territorial waters with an unfriendly nation. The third issue was the breaking of the BONDED STORE SEAL ... and taking out alcoholic beverages in Libyan waters. I imagined myself sitting on a concrete floor in an unlit filthy Libyan jail for an uncertain period of time. The sound of the diesel engines of the navy ship and the Arabic conversation of the commander on the VHF could clearly be heard. This lasted around 30 minutes or so. And then suddenly like a nearing XMAS wonder the searchlight was switched off and the navy ship came hard to starboard. I heard her engines coming to full ahead and all I could do was releasing a deep and happy breath. This was Libya and our next port BEIRUT ... HERE WE COME.
    Last edited by Brian Probetts (Site Admin); 30th December 2018 at 09:28 AM.

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