Hostages

[Gulliver]

A truly tragic shame Chris.You naughty man!

A stroll on deck aft for some air ,a sudden roll,a firm shove and...No,No,stop it,I'm getting carried away,now!

[leratty]

John, was there not an incident recently, by that in last couple of months, when either an Italian or French vessel's security guards fired on an Indian fishing boat they thought could be pirates & killing I believe a couple of crew? The Indian government seized the ship saying they would put the security parties on trial in India...God help them if that indeed occurred as they could be there for years. Don't know what the outcome was of this.
It does seem extraordinary that the rules of engagement appear so pitiful with no real teeth to them for the naval ships patrolling, whose fault that is I do not know? Though the Yanks got into it in one case over one of their ships as did the Chinese with little up roar from the international press.
Similar situation, what are everyone's thoughts as to the US airlines now being apparently sued for' lax security' on 9/11? I believe by the insurance companies? Is that just another nutty US lawyers thing or does it have merit I muse?
Richard

[Keith Tindell]

In the last war merchant seamen were trained as gunners on merchant ships, could not the same thing be done now for ships frequently transiting that area?, gets over the problem of disembarking the security crews. I am sure extra pay for the trained crew would be covered by not paying security staff. KT

[Tony Wilding]

I think it was mentioned somewhere that South Africa *refuses entry of *Merchant Ships if any Guns on board, untill all African *Countries have a common Policy regarding *Ships to carry Defensive *equipment *nothing will be done, South Africa seems very un co operative, and there legal system very strange, when they accused the miners of murders done by the Police. Japan is sending a Warship to *patrol there, not much point to catching Pirates then freeing them, *the big boys who arm and supply the Skiffs And Motors need targeting, *all Pirates when caught should be tried and imprisoned, Piracy used to carry the Death Penalty, better to shoot them on sight if caught in an act of Piracy, am sure that is the best deterrent.

[John Pruden]

it seems the masters of royal naval vessels have to have permission from our government before engaging pirates and by the time they get the permission its to late the deed is done it should be down to the ships on scene that should make any decisions? the couple that were taken were close to a royal navel vessel the captain could not do a thing but watch it happen!!!!!! talk about red tape? a convoy system should be in place these small skiffs go missing every day the sea is wide and deep.jp

[happy daze john in oz]

The problem here as I see it is weak governments. They could do more to stop all of this but are afraid that if they take strong action there will be some kind soul, read idiot, who will take them to the international courts and accuse them of atrocities against the pirates.