Post by ferryfast admin on Apr 7, 2005 19:39:48 GMT -5
UPI Intelligence Watch
By JOHN C.K. DALY, International Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April 7 (UPI) -- The Malacca Strait continue to be one of the world's busiest -- and most dangerous -- shipping lanes. A Japanese very large crude carrier tanker thwarted an attempted boarding by pirates Tuesday. The captain of the 281,000-ton Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd.'s Yohteisan increased speed and alerted the crew to stand by with fire hoses when seven pirate vessels surrounded the vessel. The pirates tried to board the Yohteisan from the stern but were repelled. After the Dec., 26 2004, tsunami there were no pirate incidents of any kind in the Malacca Strait for two months, leading Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian authorities to hope that the massive tidal surge had destroyed their bases. Attacks resumed on Feb. 28, and in the last four weeks alone, there have been three serious kidnapping for ransom in the Straits. On March 12, gunmen armed with rocket launchers stormed the fully laden Indonesian chemical tanker Tri Samudra, seizing control of the ship before abducting the captain and chief engineer, who were held until a ransom was paid. In July 2004, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore began coordinated patrols in the Straits, but they not yet made a significant impact. There were 37 reported pirate attacks in the area in 2004, up from 28 in 2003. The managing director of a Singapore shipping company, whose ships have been ransacked by bandits in the past and who has negotiated with pirates for the release of abducted crew, said on condition of anonymity: "It's going to get worse because the money from piracy is so good. All they have to do is pirate three or four vessels a month. Each averages about $100,000 for them, so they can bring about $4 million a year. That's a lot of money, and they can well afford to pay people off."
By JOHN C.K. DALY, International Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April 7 (UPI) -- The Malacca Strait continue to be one of the world's busiest -- and most dangerous -- shipping lanes. A Japanese very large crude carrier tanker thwarted an attempted boarding by pirates Tuesday. The captain of the 281,000-ton Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd.'s Yohteisan increased speed and alerted the crew to stand by with fire hoses when seven pirate vessels surrounded the vessel. The pirates tried to board the Yohteisan from the stern but were repelled. After the Dec., 26 2004, tsunami there were no pirate incidents of any kind in the Malacca Strait for two months, leading Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian authorities to hope that the massive tidal surge had destroyed their bases. Attacks resumed on Feb. 28, and in the last four weeks alone, there have been three serious kidnapping for ransom in the Straits. On March 12, gunmen armed with rocket launchers stormed the fully laden Indonesian chemical tanker Tri Samudra, seizing control of the ship before abducting the captain and chief engineer, who were held until a ransom was paid. In July 2004, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore began coordinated patrols in the Straits, but they not yet made a significant impact. There were 37 reported pirate attacks in the area in 2004, up from 28 in 2003. The managing director of a Singapore shipping company, whose ships have been ransacked by bandits in the past and who has negotiated with pirates for the release of abducted crew, said on condition of anonymity: "It's going to get worse because the money from piracy is so good. All they have to do is pirate three or four vessels a month. Each averages about $100,000 for them, so they can bring about $4 million a year. That's a lot of money, and they can well afford to pay people off."