LIFamilies.com - Long Island, NY


RSS
Articles Business Directory Blog Real Estate Community Forum Shop My Family Contests

Log In Chat Index Search Rules Lingo Create Account

Quick navigation:   

Cruise Ship Fends off Pirates

Posted By Message

HarleyGirlFLA
Come on in

Member since 5/05

9674 total posts

Name:
Mel

Cruise Ship Fends off Pirates

NAIROBI, Kenya (Nov. 5) - Pirates armed with grenade launchers and machine guns tried to hijack a luxury cruise liner off the east African coast Saturday, but the ship outran them, officials said.

Two boats full of pirates approached the Seabourn Spirit about 100 miles off the Somali coast and opened fire while the heavily armed bandits tried to get onboard, said Bruce Good, spokesman for the Miami-based Seabourn Cruise Line, a subsidiary of Carnival Corp.

The ship escaped by shifting to high speed and changing course.

"These are very well-organized pirates," said Andrew Mwangura, head of the Kenyan chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Program. "Somalia's coastline is the most dangerous place in the region in terms of maritime security."

The attackers never got close enough to board the Spirit, but one member of the 161-person crew was injured by shrapnel, cruise line president Deborah Natansohn said.

The vessel's 151 passengers, mostly Americans with some Australians and Europeans, were gathered in a lounge for their safety, Good said. None were injured.

"Our suspicion at this time is that the motive was theft," Good said, adding that the crew had been trained for "various scenarios, including people trying to get on the ship that you don't want on the ship."

The British news agency Press Association said passengers awoke to the sound of gunfire as two 25-foot inflatable boats approached the liner.

Edith Laird of Seattle, who was traveling with her daughter and a friend, told the British Broadcasting Corp. in an e-mail that her daughter saw the pirates out the window.

"There were at least three rocket-propelled grenades that hit the ship, one in a state room," Laird wrote. "We had no idea that this ship could move as fast as it did and (the captain) did his best to run down the pirates."

The Spirit was bound for Mombasa, Kenya, at the end of a 16-day voyage from Alexandria, Egypt. It was expected to reach the Seychelles on Monday, and then continue on its previous schedule to Singapore, company officials said.

The 440-foot-long, 10,000-ton cruise ship, which is registered in the Bahamas, sustained minor damage, Good said. The liner, which had its maiden voyage in 1989, can accommodate 208 guests.

"They took some fire, but it's safe to sail," he said.

There has been a steep rise in piracy this year along Somalia's nearly 2,000-mile coastline, with 15 violent incidents reported between March and August, compared with just two for all of 2004, according to the International Maritime Bureau, a division of the International Chamber of Commerce that tracks trends in piracy.

In June, a U.N.-chartered ship carrying 935 tons of rice for Somali victims of the Asian tsunami was hijacked by pirates, who held crew members hostage for three months before releasing them.

Somalia has had no effective central government since opposition leaders ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. The leaders then turned on each other, transforming this nation of 7 million into a patchwork of battling fiefdoms ruled by heavily armed militias.

Posted 11/5/05 7:28 PM
 
Long Island Weddings
Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource

Shorty
.

Member since 5/05

30390 total posts

Name:
really

Re: Cruise Ship Fends off Pirates

Chat Icon

Where'd all the rum go? Chat Icon

Posted 11/5/05 7:37 PM
 

Gertyrae
Peace out Homies!

Member since 5/05

20046 total posts

Name:
Gerty ®

Re: Cruise Ship Fends off Pirates

Posted by Shorty

Chat Icon

Where'd all the rum go? Chat Icon



Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon

Posted 11/5/05 7:39 PM
 

HarleyGirlFLA
Come on in

Member since 5/05

9674 total posts

Name:
Mel

Re: Cruise Ship Fends off Pirates

Someone's having a good time Chat Icon

Posted 11/5/05 7:43 PM
 

MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.

Member since 5/05

26170 total posts

Name:
MrsERod™®

Re: Cruise Ship Fends off Pirates

wow! i didn't even think Pirates still existed. Chat Icon

and i JUST watched Pirates of the Caribbean the other night!! Johnny Depp was HYSTERICAL in that movie!! Chat Icon

Posted 11/5/05 8:09 PM
 

neenie

Member since 5/05

22351 total posts

Name:

Re: Cruise Ship Fends off Pirates

Chat Icon

had Johnny Depp been on that ship, i wouldnt have minded Surrendering. but other than that, that story is Absurd Chat Icon Chat Icon

Posted 11/5/05 8:15 PM
 

HarleyGirlFLA
Come on in

Member since 5/05

9674 total posts

Name:
Mel

Re: Cruise Ship Fends off Pirates

Posted by MrsERod

wow! i didn't even think Pirates still existed. Chat Icon

and i JUST watched Pirates of the Caribbean the other night!! Johnny Depp was HYSTERICAL in that movie!! Chat Icon



They are "modern day" pirates.

I got a call from a co-worker today and when he told me it was breaking news the only picture I had in my head was Johnny Depp and him swashbuckling on the vessel.

Matey's be walking the plank!!

Posted 11/5/05 8:18 PM
 

neenie

Member since 5/05

22351 total posts

Name:

Re: Cruise Ship Fends off Pirates

Posted by HarleyGirlFLA
I got a call from a co-worker today and when he told me it was breaking news the only picture I had in my head was Johnny Depp and him swashbuckling on the vessel.

Matey's be walking the plank!!



Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon

Posted 11/5/05 8:19 PM
 

MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.

Member since 5/05

26170 total posts

Name:
MrsERod™®

Re: Cruise Ship Fends off Pirates

Posted by HarleyGirlFLA

Posted by MrsERod

wow! i didn't even think Pirates still existed. Chat Icon

and i JUST watched Pirates of the Caribbean the other night!! Johnny Depp was HYSTERICAL in that movie!! Chat Icon



They are "modern day" pirates.

I got a call from a co-worker today and when he told me it was breaking news the only picture I had in my head was Johnny Depp and him swashbuckling on the vessel.

Matey's be walking the plank!!




Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon

Posted 11/5/05 8:20 PM
 

Moehick
Ready for the sun!

Member since 5/05

30339 total posts

Name:
Properly perfect™

Re: Cruise Ship Fends off Pirates

Posted by neeniebean86

Chat Icon

had Johnny Depp been on that ship, i wouldnt have minded Surrendering. but other than that, that story is Absurd Chat Icon Chat Icon



I am with ya there sistaChat Icon Chat Icon

Posted 11/6/05 8:20 AM
 
 

Potentially Related Topics:

Topic Posted By Started Replies Forum
Woman Missing from Cruise Ship LisaW 7/29/06 15 Families Helping Families ™
Cruise Ship Off Florida Tips to Side, Injuring 93 HarleyGirlFLA 7/19/06 7 Families Helping Families ™
Cruise ship fire Shanti 3/24/06 6 Families Helping Families ™
Cruise Ship Fire... dandr10199 3/23/06 0 Families Helping Families ™
I am touring a Royal Carribbean cruise ship HarleyGirlFLA 1/10/06 2 Families Helping Families ™
Spin off to cruise question Lillykat 9/4/06 4 Pregnancy
 
Quick navigation:   
Currently 3493 users on the LIFamilies.com Chat
New Businesses
1 More Rep
Carleton Hall of East Islip
J&A Building Services
LaraMae Health Coaching
Sonic Wellness
Julbaby Photography LLC
Ideal Uniforms
Teresa Geraghty Photography
Camelot Dream Homes
Long Island Wedding Boutique
MB Febus- Rodan & Fields
Camp Harbor
Market America-Shop.com
ACM Basement Waterproofing
Travel Tom

      Follow LIWeddings on Facebook

      Follow LIFamilies on Twitter
Long Island Bridal Shows