Indian navy captures 61 pirates on Mozambican ship

[pmaitra]

Indian navy captures 61 pirates on Mozambican ship

14 March 2011; BBC News

This is thought to be among the largest group of pirates to be captured

Dozens of pirates aboard a Mozambican ship have been captured by India's navy after a gun battle in the Arabian Sea.

The Indian navy says it seized 61 pirates and rescued 13 crew from the vessel, which had been used as a mother ship from where pirates launched attacks around the Indian Ocean.

Attacks by pirates off the Indian coast have become increasingly more violent.

Meanwhile, a Bangladeshi ship hijacked by pirates last year has been freed after a ransom was reportedly paid.

The M V Jahan Moni and 26 Bangladeshis aboard were released after the ship's owners paid a $4m (£2.49m) ransom, unnamed company executives are quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.

It was captured in early December about 550km (341 miles) off the south-west coast of India on its way to Greece. It is now on its way to Oman.

Shipping 'risk'

The Mozambican fishing vessel, the Vega 5, had been hijacked in late December.

Two Indian navy ships intercepted the ship in the Arabian Sea nearly 1100km (695 miles) off the southern coast of Kochi and engaged in a gun battle, the navy said in a statement.

A large number of small arms and a few heavy weapons were also seized in the raid.

The Vega 5 had been a "risk to international shipping for the last four months, having carried out several attacks", the navy statement said.

This is thought to be among the largest group of pirates to be captured. The nationalities of the pirates is not clear.

In February a group of 28 suspected Somali pirates were captured in the Indian Ocean in a joint operation between the Indian coastguard and the navy.

Piracy in the Indian Ocean has been on the increase as pirates seek to avoid naval patrols elsewhere.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12729629

 

[pmaitra]

Indian navy holds 61 pirates after skirmish at sea

Indian navy holds 61 pirates after skirmish at sea

Associated Press in Mogadishu
guardian.co.uk, Monday 14 March 2011 19.47 GMT

'Mothership' and its crew captured by naval patrol in Arabian sea, with suspects facing trial in Mumbai

Suspects aboard the pirate ship the INS Taba on their way to Mumbai after being arrested by the Indian navy. Photograph: Indian navy/EPA

Five dozen pirates living on a hijacked ship serving as a roving pirate base jumped into the Arabian Sea after the Indian navy fired on the vessel, naval authorities said.

The navy captured 61 pirates fleeing the battle and the ensuing fire that broke out aboard the hijacked vessel. A pirate in Somalia threatened Indian sailors and the government with attacks in retaliation for the arrests.

The Indian navy said a patrol aircraft spotted the pirate mothership on Friday while responding to another vessel reporting an attack. The pirates aborted the hijack attempt and tried to escape on the mothership.

When the Indian navy closed in on Sunday night, the pirates fired on them. The hijacked vessel caught fire when Indian vessels returned fire, the navy said.

The pirates had hijacked the Mozambique-flagged Vega 5 in December and had used it as a mothership. Indian sailors rescued 13 crew members from the Vega 5 about 700 miles off Kochi in southern India, the statement said.

The pirates were carrying about 80 to 90 small arms or rifles and a few heavier weapons, it said. The statement did not describe any casualties among the navy, the fishermen or the pirates. The pirates were being taken to Mumbai to be prosecuted for attacking the Indian ships.

Piracy has plagued the shipping industry off east Africa for years, but violence and ransom demands have escalated, with pirates holding around 30 ships and more than 660 hostages as of last month.

A self-described pirate in Somalia, who gave his name as Bile Hussein, said the arrests would lead to "trouble" for Indian sailors and ships.

"They better release them, considering their people travelling in the waters, or we shall jail their people like that," he said. "We are first sending a message to the Indian government of releasing our friends in their hands or else they have to be ready for their citizens to be mistreated in the near future."

The Indian navy's third anti-piracy operation this year followed the capture of 28 Somali pirates last month and 15 in January. Both groups are to be prosecuted in Mumbai.

Indian warships have been escorting merchant ships as part of international anti-piracy surveillance in the area since 2008.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/14/indian-navy-pirates-holds-61

 

[pmaitra]

INS Khukri captures Pirates

INS Khukri captures Pirates

 

[Roby]

Nice job by the navy. But what we do with these pirates?

 

[KS]

Nice job by the navy. But what we do with these pirates?

In the absence of any laws to deal with Piracy, you can feed them regularly and show them the latest Bollywood movies which they obviously like very much. Indians have been too courteous to invaders,pirates alike.

 

[The Messiah]

Release them for a ransom! When there brothers wont pay they will realize how they are worth nothing to anyone.

We should then leave them in bangladesh....give them a taste of illegal immigrants

 

[amitkriit]

According to International laws Sea Pirates are liable to summary execution.
Laws of Sea

 

[LETHALFORCE]

They should have sunk the ship, it would have solved everything.

 

[pmaitra]

We should then leave them in bangladesh....give them a taste of illegal immigrants

LOL, I like that idea.

 

[bhramos]

Navy captures Myanmarese poachers
http://www.hindu.com/2011/03/15/stories/2011031562781600.htm

 

[KS]

According to International laws Sea Pirates are liable to summary execution.
Laws of Sea

Where does it say so ??

I could find only this line ;

under the control of pirates, and arrest the persons and seize the property on board.

.

BTW the Russian idea is wat better ;

The tanker, with a Russian crew of 23, was hijacked on May 5 off the Somali coast. After a Russian naval operation on May 6 freed the tanker, capturing 10 pirates and killing one, the disarmed pirates were put into inflatable boats without navigational systems and pushed off into open waters.

Link

 

[smartindian]

death penalty is appropriate for the sea bandits , if there is no law make one law to kill them at the sight

 

[pmaitra]

According to International laws Sea Pirates are liable to summary execution.
Laws of Sea

Interesting. Thanks for sharing Amit.

Question to all: Why do you guys think India (and some other countries) take this humanitarian step to arrest these pirates instead of disposing off with them?

 

[bhramos]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing Amit.

Question to all: Why do you guys think India (and some other countries) take this humanitarian step to arrest these pirates instead of disposing off with them?

if somebody dont initiate these step it will encourage more people from other countries even India.........

 

[SHASH2K2]

Originally Posted by pmaitra
Interesting. Thanks for sharing Amit.

Question to all: Why do you guys think India (and some other countries) take this humanitarian step to arrest these pirates instead of disposing off with them?

if somebody dont initiate these step it will encourage more people from other countries even India.........

If we can kill them all at once then it can be done and weak nations like India will also do it . Problem here is that If we execute Pirates they will also start executing captives and there are many captured by them . Killing them is like a double edge sword. It will hurt us as well.

 

[Atul]

If we can kill them all at once then it can be done and weak nations like India will also do it . Problem here is that If we execute Pirates they will also start executing captives and there are many captured by them . Killing them is like a double edge sword. It will hurt us as well.

The fear of Pirate Reaction should not hamper or dilute law, Piracy must be dealt with strict and firm action.

Somalia being a lawless country has left the pirates challenge the world powers at Sea.

India should set an example, which should deter the Pirates venture in Indian Sea (as well as open international waters)

 

[KS]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing Amit.

Question to all: Why do you guys think India (and some other countries) take this humanitarian step to arrest these pirates instead of disposing off with them?

I read the link but I could find no where it is mentioned that the Pirates could be summarily executed.

Please quote the relevant passage,

 

[sandeepdg]

Even executing them is such a pain for the government, they could have followed the Russian example, and left them off without food, fuel and ammo in the mid-sea. I think the Indian Navy till now has had the most amount of success in apprehending pirates among all navies working in the Gulf of Aden-Arabian sea zone. Cheers to the IN !!