18 Oct 2011
10.10.2011: Posn: 01:02.80N – 103:38.30E, Singapore Straits
Five masked pirates armed with pistol and long knives boarded a tug under towing operations. They stole crew cash and personal belongings and escaped. The incident was reported to Port Operations Control Centre, Singapore.
10.10.2011:2220 LT: Posn: 10:09.1N-107:13.4E, Vung Tau Anchorage, Vietnam
Robbers armed with knives boarded an anchored bulk carrier. They threatened the duty watchman with a knife, stole ship’s stores and escaped.
07.10.2011: 2200 LT: Posn: 02:21S-079:59W, Guayaquil River, Ecuador
Fifteen robbers armed with guns boarded a container vessel underway during river pilotage. Robbers opened and stole contents of two containers. Master raised alarm and searchlights switched on. Seeing crew alertness the robbers aimed their guns towards the bridge and then escaped with stolen cargo.
10.10.2011: 0330 UTC: POSN: 12:31.4N-061:48.5E, Around 430nm east of Socotra, (Off Somalia)
Eleven pirates armed with guns fired upon and boarded a bulk carrier underway. The crew retreated into the citadel. On 11.10.2011 NATO warships arrived at the location and a naval team boarded and freed all the crew. All pirates detained.
14.10.2011: 1450 UTC: Posn: 22:02.9N – 064:28.3E, Around 285nm west of Porbandar, India. (Off Somalia)
Pirates in three speed boats approached a bulk carrier underway from different directions. Two boats approached at a speed of 14 knots and one boat about 22 knots. Master altered course away from the boats and the boats followed. When the closest boat was around within 0.5 nm from the ship, Master raised alarm, sent distress message and contacted UKMTO for assistance. The pirates attempted to board the ship. All crew except the bridge team retreated into the citadel and the Master took evasive manoeuvres to avoid the boarding. After about two hours the pirates aborted the attempt. Upon inspection the razor wire around the vessel was found to have been riped off by the pirates on port side.
04.10.2011: 1720 LT: Posn: 10:18.26N – 064:34.47W, Guanta Port Pilot Boarding Area, Venezuela
Five robbers in a high speed boat approached a container ship awaiting pilot boarding. One of the robbers attempted to board the ship with a hook attached with a long pole. Crew saw the boat and rushed to the location. The robbers in the boat threw stones at the crew members while one of the robbers attempted to climb on board. As more crew members arrived at the location the the robbers aborted the boarding and moved away.
08.10.2011: 2040 UTC: Posn: 04:55N-003:16E, Around 90nm south of Lagos, Nigeria
Pirates boarded and hijacked a product tanker drifting whilst awaiting orders and sailed to an unknown location. The vessel was released after five days. All crew safe.
06.10.2011: 1650 UTC: Posn: 06:03.5S – 042:15.8E, Around 160nm east of Zanzibar Island, Tanzania. (Off Somalia)
Armed pirates in two skiffs chased and fired upon a container ship underway. D/O raised alarm, sent distress message and all crew mustered at citadel except the Master, bridge duty crew and the armed security team. The security team fired flares and warning shots but the pirates ignored the warnings and continued to chase and fire upon the vessel. The armed security team returned fire resulting in the pirates aborting and moving away. Ship and crew safe.
03:10.2011: 2016 LT: Posn: 07:49S – 040:14E, Off Mafia Island, Tanzania (Off Somalia)
Seven pirates in skiff approached a drill ship. The vessel sent out a distress which was responded to by a vessel which had Tanzanian navy personal onboard. There were exchange of fire between the pirates and the navy resulting in all the pirates being apprehended and handed over to the police.
02.10.2011: 2337 LT: Posn: 04:06N – 002:51E, Off Cotonou, Benin
Pirates armed with automatic weapons in two small boats fired upon and boarded a drifting chemical tanker. Crew retreated into the citadel and remained there for the entire night. The crew emerged from the citadel the next day and upon inspection, found that ship cash was stolen.
Source: IMB
