Video: Royal Marines capture and sink pirate vessel

[Swoop]

No I've never been to Somalia. Have you?

Actually, yes.  

And there really is a BIG difference between an AK47 armed Somali (pretty much all of em) and an RPG armed Somali.  RPGs aren't cheap ya know, you take one of those out then you mean to use it.

And as for waiting for them to attack, do you really think a Somali pirate boat is going to do anything silly with a Royal Navy destroyer parked 800 yards off their stern displaying a sign that says "We're watching you pal."?  Somali's might not be as sophisticated as us westerners but they're not stupid.


In this particular case there was a big, slow mothership with a small, fast skiff in tow and the crew were armed with small arms and high explosive projectile weapons.  If they're not pirates then my name is Angus McTavish and I wrestle polar bears for a living.



As for the legality......dunno what law in your part of the world says but in this country you can be arrested for "going equipped" to commit a crime.  For example, if you're discovered outside a bank at 3am with a crowbar and a ski-mask you're getting nicked chummy.

[Ack-Ack]

These guys are lucky that the Brits don't string pirates up from the yardarm anymore.


ack-ack

[bigsky]

http://www.southparkstudios.com/crap/downloads/sounds.php

[Die Hard]

See Rule #4

[Halo46]

Unfortunately you lost your argument long ago.

Royal Navy: 1 Die Hard: 0

[thrila]

To suggest they were pirates... I don't think that's enough of a reason to confiscate and destroy someone's property. What the RN did in this incident was an act of war against Somalia; not a big deal these days when might makes right and "justice" is delivered at the tip of a cruise missile or bomb, I know.

I didn't make myself properly understood, there was enough evidence to suggest they were pirates, hence the boarding.  Consequently the crew on board were confirmed to be pirates.  You are misguided if you believe the Royal Navy confiscates property and destroys boats on a whim.  Why you are attempting to defend the indefensible is beyond me.

From the Royal Navy:

In co-ordination with a Spanish maritime patrol aircraft, HMS Portland's crew identified, pursued and subsequently conducted a boarding of the suspicious vessels. They found articles that indicated the skiffs had been involved in or were about to conduct an act of piracy, and were clearly not those of innocent fishing vessels.

The skiffs, with ten people aboard, were equipped with extra barrels of fuel, grappling hooks and a cache of weapons that included rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and ammunition.

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations-and-support/surface-fleet/type-23-frigates/hms-portland/news/hms-portland-intercepts-and-disarms-pirates/*/changeNav/6568

[Swoop]

What the RN did in this incident was an act of war against Somalia.

Alright then.

In that case what is it when a Somali boat attacks, boards, captures and ransoms a British merchant vessel?  Would that be an act of war as well?

If so.....well then they started it so all Somali boats are fair game whether they're fishing or not.

[trax1]

In co-ordination with a Spanish maritime patrol aircraft, HMS Portland's crew identified, pursued and subsequently conducted a boarding of the suspicious vessels. They found articles that indicated the skiffs had been involved in or were about to conduct an act of piracy, and were clearly not those of innocent fishing vessels.

The skiffs, with ten people aboard, were equipped with extra barrels of fuel, grappling hooks and a cache of weapons that included rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and ammunition.

Well thats just not enough evidence that they were pirates for Die Hard, who knows they might have just been some Somalia fishermen who like to fish with RPG's & grappling hooks, sometimes you need all that firepower to fish with. 

[Halo46]

The skiffs, with ten people aboard, were equipped with extra barrels of fuel, grappling hooks and a cache of weapons that included rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and ammunition.

Sir, that proves nothing. They could not possibly have been pirates because they were not flying the Jolly Rogers, did not have an eye patch, peg leg, nor a parrot. It was not reported whether they said arrrgh or not.

[Maverick]

Folks, dh is just trolling and he's hooked a line full here. Just ignore him and he will go away. Perhaps dh can go there himself on his own little boat and then report on his travels. Hopefully it won't be a swift return.

Kudo's to the RN there and I hope they have further success in ridding the water way's of pirates.

[Masherbrum]

Sir, that proves nothing. They could not possibly have been pirates because they were not flying the Jolly Rogers, did not have an eye patch, peg leg, nor a parrot. It was not reported whether they said arrrgh or not.

 

[Roundeye]

I cannot believe anyone here is actually sticking up for these guys.

Lets just wait and let them attack/kidnap/kill before we capture them and destroy their weapons and equipment.

If a man walks into a bank with a ski mask, duffel bag and sawed off shotgun, he's not there to make a deposit.

The only thing I do not understand is why they got them off the boat before pounding it.

[jdbecks]

also you do not know what type of intelligence was passed onto the royal navy

[Masherbrum]

also you do not know what type of intelligence was passed onto the royal navy

Die Hard does, he was there filming a Documentary on "Somalian Culture and the availability of Weapons."   

[Babalonian]

 

Leave it to the British and the Royal Navy to best know how to deal with the pirates and get the job done.

 


As for the idea that the Brits commited piracy themselves... sure... ok... but, which third-world government is stupid enough to declare that and defend the pirates as their own?  Doing so would expose that government to paying reparations and potential military counter-actions, and there aren't many countries left in this world today that are that stupid.