Friday, April 04, 2008

Prisoner of Pirates for 47 days

Captain Darch was doing his duty delivering this tug from St. Petersburg to Singapore when he came under attack by pirates off Somalia.

When approached by a single speed boat he held them at bay using the power of his engines to threaten to sink the pirates. But when a second speed boat approached and opened fire with rifles he had no choice but to let them on-board. In total there were 20 pirates (circled in the picture above) against just the captain and his five crew.

Eventually they were let free - but only after the ship's owner had paid up a ransom rumoured to be $700,000.

More here and here.

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