Pirates take on USS Nicolas...and shockingly lose!

[indoorsoccerfrea]

Pirates attempted to capture a US warship...why? Are they really that thick? You think you'd notice all the gun barrels sticking up off the deck...

US navy nabs pirate suspects near Seychelles - Yahoo! News

WASHINGTON (AFP) – A US warship operating in the Indian Ocean captured five suspected pirates Thursday after an exchange of gunfire in international waters near the Seychelles, the Pentagon said.
The frigate USS Nicholas took the piracy suspects into custody after the warship sank a skiff, and confiscated a suspected mother ship, said a statement from US Naval Forces.
"While operating west of the Seychelles in international waters, Nicholas reported taking fire at 12:27 am local time from a suspected pirate skiff and returned fire before commencing pursuit of the vessel until the disabled skiff stopped," the statement said.
"At 1:59 am personnel from Nicholas boarded the disabled skiff and detained three personnel. The boarding team found ammunition and multiple cans of fuel on board."
After taking the suspected pirates on board, the Nicholas sank the disabled skiff and captured two additional suspected pirates on the confiscated mother ship.
"The suspected pirates will remain in US custody on board Nicholas until a determination is made regarding their disposition," the statement said.
The lifting of the winter monsoon in the region has spurred a fresh spate of attacks by pirates able to venture hundreds of miles from their bases and approach their prey on relatively calm seas.
The Seychelles economy relies heavily on tuna fishing and tourism and the country has had several ships hijacked since 2008.
In a separate incident, six Seychellois fishermen rescued from Somali pirates were returned home Wednesday after three days of high-seas drama which saw the Seychelles coastguard sink several pirate boats.

 

[dburkhead]

Pirates attempted to capture a US warship...why? Are they really that thick? You think you'd notice all the gun barrels sticking up off the deck...

US navy nabs pirate suspects near Seychelles - Yahoo! News

It's easy enough to understand. They thought it was a French ship.

 

[451_Detonics]

you would think that somewhere in Pirate 101 they would teach that you should make sure you are attacking a pleasure boat or freighter....not a US Frigate...lol... :dumbass:

 

[indoorsoccerfrea]

They thought it was a French ship.

I guess they thought all those barrels were just various masts to hang white flags from...

 

[kwatters]

I guess they thought all those barrels were just various masts to hang white flags from...

lol, if you watched the Ultimate fighter last night a french guy was in one of the fights and said before the fight "I am going to show America that the reputation of the French is unfounded" he took a couple shots and quit after the first round even though he looked like he was OK.

 

[boozoo]

So this is going to sound really bad... but wouldn't it be better for everyone to just sink the boats and feed these pirates to the fish? You're out in the middle of the ocean anyway. Why do we keep feeling the need to be anything but harsh with people like this? Or the smugglers/cartels wreaking havoc on our border?

 

[jedi]

What gets me is...

"The suspected pirates will remain in US custody on board Nicholas until a determination is made regarding their disposition," the statement said.

Why not just do what the Enlgish did back in the backs of "Pirate of the caribbean" and take them to the nearest port and hang them! No trial needed just a simple proclamation that you have been caught doing piracy on the high seas and per order of the law you are sentenced to death by hanging. Problem solved.

 

[Expat]

 

[Six Shooter Steve]

Obviously the pirate talent pool has gone down over the years.

 

[dburkhead]

So this is going to sound really bad... but wouldn't it be better for everyone to just sink the boats and feed these pirates to the fish? You're out in the middle of the ocean anyway. Why do we keep feeling the need to be anything but harsh with people like this? Or the smugglers/cartels wreaking havoc on our border?

One of the problems with shipping today is the distinct lack of yardarms.

 

[Robert Richardson]

Nobody ever said these guys were smart.

 

[Mokkie]

These guys must not be real smart or blind. U.S war ship in international waters. You fire on it you are going to get return fire. With these guys past history there lucky that the navy left any of them alive.

 

[Eddie]

Anybody remember back in the eighties when Libya declared that "Line of Death" in the Gulf of Sidra and said no one could cross and we sent one of our carrier groups over? This kind of reminds me of those times.

 

[VUPDblue]

Yeah, I guess the pirates are not getting any smarter. If they keep attacking US Warships, the won't be getting any older either. Their "skiffs" and "mother ships" should make for some good practice for the gunners on board those navy boats! Wouldn't take much to sink one either, I wouldn't think. Maybe 2 or 3 bursts from one of those Navy M134D's

 

[Squib]

I'm finding it impossible to fathom that much stupid. But, it works for me!

 

[Robert Richardson]

Anybody remember back in the eighties when Libya declared that "Line of Death" in the Gulf of Sidra and said no one could cross and we sent one of our carrier groups over? This kind of reminds me of those times.

Didn't we splash two of theirs when they came out to complain?

 

[Robert Richardson]

I'm finding it impossible to fathom that much stupid. But, it works for me!

Stupid is as stupid does.

 

[Shadowbeach]

.

 

[360]

USS Nicholas

USS Nicholas Official Navy Page

As built:
One OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun
two Mk 32 triple-tube (324 mm) launchers for Mark 46 torpedoes
one Vulcan Phalanx CIWS; four .50-cal (12.7 mm) machine guns.
one Mk 13 Mod 4 single-arm launcher for Harpoon anti-ship missiles and SM-1MR Standard anti-ship/air missiles (40 round magazine)
Note: As of 2004, Mk13 systems removed from all active US vessels of this class.

WIKI

 

[Eddie]

I was there. A couple of Tomcats off the Nimitz shot down a couple of their Mig-23's after being fired upon, if I recall.

I can't find any articles online, but I recall before the incident with the migs that there were a couple of times that small boats approached too close and got sunk as well.