Yesterday the AP had nothing but good news to report off the coast of Somalia.
A multinational force of warships has carved out a narrow shipping corridor off the coast of Somalia that is helping protect merchant vessels from pirate attacks, the force's commander said Monday...There are also signs of success, although I think it is legitimate to ask if this is also a sign of political failure.
In a telephone interview from his East African base in Djibouti, Christensen said coalition naval forces were also having success using planes, helicopters and drones to find and track suspect vessels until they can be boarded and searched...
The multinational force created the shipping channel to better focus its patrols in the vast area. The zone is about 600 miles long and just three to six miles wide. It runs roughly north-south, allowing ships to safely bypass the Somali coast on their way to and from the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
The naval forces have captured six pirate attack teams — around 60 people — since October, Christensen said. But after seizing their weapons and equipment, the sailors must release the bandits at sea to sail back to Somalia because no country has been willing to bring them to trial.But the AP article went on to sound the alarm.
The bandits have already shifted their tactics in response to the patrols, positioning attack teams on the northern and southern ends of the shipping zone to stretch the already thin naval forces, Christensen said.And like clockwork, there were three attacks today, all outside the shipping zone. The first two attacks took place on the northern end of the shipping zone after the vessels had crossed the Suez canal. Both made SOS calls, and in both cases the Indian Navy responded.
The Indian warship, which was deployed in the region on October 23 in the wake of rising attacks by pirates on merchant vessels, received an SOS from the Saudi ship at around 1000 hours after a group of pirates surrounded it.Interesting, the Indians have a different RoE than the westerners. Later today, the third ship, a chemical tanker with 23 crew members was hijacked. For those keeping count, that means there are now 12 vessels held hostage with captured crews numbering over 200.
Marine commandos on board INS Tabar flew out in an armed helicopter and launched an assault on the attackers, who were in five speed boats, forcing them to flee into the Somali waters.
Even as this operation was on, the warship received a panic call from MV Jag Arnav, a merchant vessel owned by Mumbai-based Great Eastern Shipping Company, with about 20 crew members on board.
Arnav, a 38,265-tonne bulk carrier, was also ambushed by heavily-armed pirates in speed boats soon after it crossed Suez Canal and was eastward bound, the Indian Navy said here.
The pirates were firing at the vessel and making attempt to board it.
The Indian warship, after securing the Saudi ship and escorting it to safety, rushed marine commandos on a helicopter. The commandos engaged the pirates, forcing them to flee into the Somalian waters.
This problem will never be solved at sea, it can only be solved on land.