Russians Take On Pirates: Russkis:1 Pirates: Zip

[mrjarrell]

Joining into the ranks of pirate fighters with the Dutch, the Russians retake a captured oil tanker in a high risk mission. Kudos to Ivan!

via Go San Angelo

ABOARD THE CARLSKRONA — A Russian warship hunted down an oil tanker hijacked by Somali pirates and special forces rappelled on board Thursday, surprising the outlaws, who surrendered after a 22-minute gunbattle. Twenty-three Russian sailors were freed.
The dramatic Indian Ocean rescue came a day after pirates seized the tanker, which was heading toward China carrying $50 million of crude. One pirate was killed and 10 others were arrested, officials said.
The Russian destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov had rushed to the scene following Wednesday’s seizure of the Liberian-flagged tanker Moscow University. After spotting the hijacked vessel early Thursday, the warship fired warning shots from its large-caliber machine gun, undeterred by the tanker’s flammable cargo of 86,000 tons of crude.
Oil tankers don’t even allow crew members to smoke on board because of the risk of igniting the cargo.
“The Marshal Shaposhnikov came near the tanker. And after establishing contact with the crew, who were taking cover in the machine area of the ship, opened warning fire from large-caliber machine guns and a 30 mm artillery complex,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Special forces troops then rappelled down to the tanker from a helicopter, Rear Adm. Jan Thornqvist, the EU Naval Force commander, told an Associated Press reporter aboard the Swedish warship Carlskrona, which was patrolling 500 miles west of the rescue site.
The startled pirates opened fire, and a gunbattle ensued that killed one pirate and wounded three before the hijackers surrendered, the Russian state news channel Rossiya-24 said. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Alexei Kuznetsov said a large weapons cache was seized.

More at the source.

 

[360]

Those pirates should go after French or Swiss vessels instead. They won't fight back.

 

[EvilleDoug]

If every country would take the same actions as the Americans, Dutch and now the Russians, the silly a** pirates would reconsider their career choices. If more of the pirates were shot in a public execution it may change some minds about taking these cargo ships.

Le Doug

 

[garagegunmaker]

Those pirates should go after French or Swiss vessels instead. They won't fight back.

to that. Man how I hate the french.

 

[Jon Craig]

Back to the 1700's - hang em high! Pirates ye be warned!

 

[junglerogue]

Too bad the pirates that were captured didn't "try to escape". It would save a lot of drama. I sincerely hope the MSM don't give the pirates a mouthpiece.

 

[redneckmedic]

The only problem I see with this outcome, is that we actually took prisoners.

Man how I hate the french.

Folks tend to forget their history lessons easily.... If not for the French, we would still be speaking the Queen's English right now!

 

[mrjarrell]

*sigh* The Russians had to let them go.

via the BBC

Russia has released Somali pirates captured during the dramatic rescue of a Russian oil tanker earlier this week.
The Russian defence ministry said the gang was freed because of "imperfections" in international law.
Russia initially said the 10 pirates would be taken to Moscow to face criminal charges over the hijacking.
The Moscow University vessel was seized on Wednesday in the Gulf of Aden, off Yemen, as it sailed for China, carrying crude oil worth $50m (£33m).
Russian forces boarded the ship a day later, freeing the 23 Russian crew who had locked themselves in a safe room after disabling their ship.
One pirate was killed during the gun battle that ensued.
But the pirates were released because of "an incomplete international legal basis" to keep them detained, Col Alexei Kuznetsov was quoted by Russia's Interfax news agency as saying.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which Russia is a signatory, gives sovereign nations the right to seize and prosecute pirates.
But some countries have been reluctant to do so because of concerns of what to do with the pirates after their jail terms are up.

More at the source.

 

[EvilleDoug]

OMG - It sounds like they need "To meet with an unfortunate accident" on the way home.

"I don't know what happened, My door fell open, I fell out and then the truck just went over the cliff" said the driver of the van leaving the detainment center holding the Somali Pirates.

 

[markz68]

I am all for letting them go...overboard...without a boat! If they can get back home, more power to them!

 

[360]

I bet if they owed child support they would be arrested, tried, and jailed.

 

[thej27]

Russians never mess around when it comes to terrorism. After having to let them go I am sure now the Russians won't bother taking prisoners.

 

[pudly]

So, now the score is: Russians 1, Pirates 1. Sigh...

 

[Kirk Freeman]

My question, why hasn't mrjarrell been rallying INGO to lobby Congress for a Letter of Marque and Reprisal to go after the Somali pirates . . . via private enterprise of course.

 

[ihateiraq]

i just want to know how you can take a ship by surprise in the middle of the ocean. even if you rappel in, helicopters arent very quiet.

 

[WILSON]

Ivan kinda deals with deals with terrorists in an,.. early American sorta way, doesn't he...

​

 

[tv1217]

OMG - It sounds like they need "To meet with an unfortunate accident" on the way home.

"I don't know what happened, My door fell open, I fell out and then the truck just went over the cliff" said the driver of the van leaving the detainment center holding the Somali Pirates.

Polonium in their coffee on the plane ride home.

 

[Colt556]

I read that the Russians took their weapons, radios and GPS and put them back in their boat and released them. Now they are reportedly "Missing"


Russia says pirates who held tanker are freed - Yahoo! News

 

[Principal Skinr]

The French have actually gone after the pirates aggressively and have captured many. My understanding is that they didn't let them go.

Heck, their president, Sarkosy, likes the US and Americans better than Michelle Obama!

 

[mrjarrell]

Update: Captured Somalis Pirates likely dead.

Seems the Russians just dumped them in a small boat with not even a compass or anything.

via News.com.au

A GROUP of Somali pirates captured by the Russian navy in the Gulf of Aden and then set free in a boat are most probably dead after failing to reach the shore, a Russian defence source said. The 10 pirates were captured last week after seizing a Russian oil tanker but were then unexpectedly released, with Russian officials saying there was insufficient legal basis to keep them in detention.

"According to the latest information, the pirates who seized the Moscow University oil tanker failed to reach the shore. Evidently, they have all died," the high-ranking source was quoted as saying by all Russia's official news agencies.

The source said that radio signals from the boat stopped just one hour after it had been set free by the Russian navy.

No details were given over the manner in which they could have lost their lives.

Reports have said that after their release the Russian navy put the pirates in a boat 550km offshore, removing all weaponry and navigational equipment from the vessel.

More interesting news at the source.