Report: Italy Cruise Ship Fires on Somali Pirates

Report: Italy Cruise Ship Fires on Somali Pirates

www.foxnews.com

ROME — An Italian cruise ship fended off a pirate attack off the coast of Somalia, with its security forces exchanging fire with the bandits, the commander said Saturday.

Cmdr. Ciro Pinto told Italian state radio that six men in a small white boat approached the Msc Melody and opened fire Saturday night, but retreated after security forces aboard the cruise ship returned fire.

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WOW! Is this a true reversal of roles and fortune or what? For once, the infamous Ocean Going Terrorists of Somalia (I say this, because they quite literally "Terrorize" Oceanic based Traffic), have themselves been bested by a Security Team stationed onboard a Civilian Cruise Ship.

Of course, naturally, some bureaucrats have decided to rather criticize the actions of the Armed Security Team, instead of taking part in complimenting them for a job well done.

www.foxnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Pretty cool huh.
Keep up the good work! Blast 'em!

Though I have to admit it worries me a bit in the sense that if all ocean going vessels are allowed to have *protection squads* - it pretty much means those smear guns could be turned on passengers in the event of war, martial law, etc...
Though why I’m worrying about this I don’t know as no ship can stay at sea forever - and returning to any port the passengers would fall under whatever law prevailed there... Oh well, teach me to listen to AJ this morning!

peace

Wow! This is the first time that I am aware of that Somali pirates have attacked a cruise ship. This is really upping the ante in the piracy game. Holding 1500 passengers hostage is much different than holding a tanker full of cargo. It would have immediate international implications.

I wonder if the passengers cheered when the crew fired back at the pirates.

reply to post by jsobecky


Wasn't one attacked last year? I'm sure of it, unless I was dreaming...

Yeah, here we go:

www.foxnews.com...

Should have looked before starting my post really...

reply to post by stumason


Thanks, stumason. I didn't remember that one. And from your article, that was the second time one had been attacked.

Attacking a cruise ship seems a huge step toward big trouble, imo. How many countries would be involved? Dozens, I'd guess.

*TheAssociate applauds*

It's about time somebody grew some errrr...courage and took these looters on. Sometimes force is the only way to get someone to understand that their behavior will not be tolerated. Good for the Italians.


TA

Good for them may many more follow in their footsteps. Give those pirates something to think about ! If enough ships follow suit maybe the pirates will reconsider this as a way to make easy money.

lol, a rubber dinghy Vs a cruise ship... those pirates was crazy. ^^

[edit on 27-4-2009 by Biohazard³¹³]

Good. Good good good! It is high time this happens.

As the poster above me said, pirates in a rubber dinghy VS a cruise liner should not be a threat at all. Stand up to the pirates and watch them flee like the cowards they truly are.

Good for the security team.

How in the world did a small number of pirates ever think they would succeed in hold 1500 people hostage anyway? They MUST have been out of their minds.

Anyway, I am glad to hear this, I guess these pirates arent as dangerous as they are made out to be, they are bullies, They are cowardous bullies. Stand up to them and watch them run off with their tail between their legs.

I hope we see similar response to pirates in the future. I really do.

haha, wow, I bet the people on the boat will have a pretty cool story to tell. I know they use grappling hooks and what not, but I still have a hard time getting over the logistics of a few guys in a small boat getting up to the decking of the MUCH bigger ships. I read a report a while back that talks about what crews do when they think they are about to get breached, and the tactics they use, i think someone said something about Molotov cocktails, which would be as good a weapon as any and pretty freaking fun to boot.

Firing on the pirates will only provoke a response that would lead to deaths. No hostages have been killed by the pirates. Their purpose is to hold them ransom, not get them killed. Killing the pirates would only lead to any future hostages killed to teach the world a lesson in defying their dreams.