December 17, 2008
Chinese Sailors Thwart Somalia Pirate Attack
Surprise suckers, you lose.
MOGADISHU: Chinese sailors backed up by international navies fought off Somali pirates trying to hijack their ship on Wednesday, as the UN authorized land operations against the increasingly bold bandits on land.The dramatic high-seas encounter was among a fresh wave of attacks by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, where three other ships were hijacked on Tuesday, as China considered whether to send warships to the pirate-infested waters.
A band of pirates boarded the Chinese-owned vessel "Zhenhua 4" on Wednesday, but the sailors prevented them from invading their crew accommodation for several hours – enough time to seek help from the coalition forces.
"I'm actually very surprised that the crew managed to hold back the pirates. I don't know how they did it, but they did it," said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau piracy reporting centre in Kuala Lumpur.
"Because of this action, the military helicopters came and they managed to chase the pirates away. The pirates on board eventually left the ship and the master is proceeding on his course," he told AFP.
"Eventually left? Sheesh, should have walked the plank.
By Stable Hand at December 17, 2008 10:23 AM | | l digg this
