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Ship Master dies after being released by Pirates

4K views 22 replies 9 participants last post by  chadburn 
#1 ·
Their strikes and demands are getting audacious but what Somali pirates, who continue to infest the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, do to the hostages is terrifying. Sanjay Verma, India's consul general in Dubai, would know. For 11 months, he worked for the release of Seychelles-flagged
RAK Afrikana, without telling anyone that his brother-in-law was the captain of the 23-member crew, 11 of who were Indians, held hostage by the pirates. He didn't think it was professional.

The release did come but too late. Captain Prem Kumar died of brain haemorrhage on May 16. A stroke in captivity had left the 49-year-old paralysed.

Looking for closure, Verma has written to the ministry of external affairs, informing them that Kumar was married to his sister.

Getting the vessel released was Verma's first major task in Dubai. Afrikana was hijacked on April 11, 2010 some 280 nautical miles west off Seychelles.

While they negotiated with the owners of the cargo ship, the pirates kept hostages on a diet of thin onion soup and rice. The crew lived in constant fear and were tortured.

The pirates wanted to turn Afrikana into a pirate mother ship to attack other vessels and wanted it refitted.

Kumar didn't allow it and faced pirates' fury.

One day, the pirates took away five young crew to the shore. They returned with blood-soaked T-shirts and told Kumar they had killed the sailors. Kumar still didn't relent.

They tortured him more, unmindful of the fact that he had high blood pressure. Soon it emerged that the blood on the T-shirts was that of a sheep.

But the violence continued and Kumar suffered a stroke on January 26, leaving his left side paralysed.

Almost three months later, on March 16, an Italian naval ship rescued the crew released in exchange of ransom. On April 4, Kumar suffered brain haemorrhage and slipped into coma. He died on May 16.

Verma's fortitude has earned him praise of colleagues and minister SM Krishna, who has hailed his "exemplary" courage in face of "personal trauma".

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-...ortitude-ends-in-tragedy/Article1-699628.aspx
 
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#2 ·
The thing about this piracy business that I don't understand is that when in Libya Gadaffi turned his troops on his people the UK, France, USA and others went ballistic and started to bomb seven bells out of him. Yet the pirates seem to operate with impunity -- even if they are caught they are simply taken home and released.

How can we justify what happened in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, with this apparent impotence in the face of piracy?
 
#3 ·
Hi Art

I entirely agree with you.

The Official Excuse in the UK is that it is "too dangerous" to try to stop the piracy because innocent people could be caught in the cross-fire and killed.

That same concern does not seem to thwart our war-mongering British Governments in relation to Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, though.

Cheers

Gill
 
#6 ·
In history, wasn't one of the prime purposes of an organized navy the eradication of piracy? And in view of the seemingly uselessness of governments to deal with the problem, should there not be a revocation of the lapse in the piracy law? If you catch them, hang them. Of course, innocent seafarers will suffer, but are they not suffering already?
Easy for me to talk, I have retired from sea, but, law or no law, if I was still sailing, I would carry a gun.
 
#8 ·
Israeli registered vessel's during my time carried weapon's and most of the Crew were Reservist's, our "Pirate's" were of course the PLO, Black September and other's of that ilk and we carried out regular armed anti- boarding exercises. Maritime Fruit were very close to the Isreali Navy as can be seen if you go on to Wiki and have a look at the Cherbourg Project, Milla was my Boss and we were known as Israel's Reserve Navy. Some of the "Civilian's" mentioned were part of our Crew. There was a lot more to the story as there was a Plan "B". The problem with carrying weapon's on today's Merchant Vessel's is the multi- national, multi-religion Crew's. With the Israeli vessel's there was no such problem and the Crew(s) were well disciplined having done what could be termed as their National Service and boy did it show which is what you need if weapon's are to be carried against "Pirate's" on Merchant Vessel's.
 
#9 ·
Yup, spent a few years in Zim, late '60s early '70s. We were well armed, trained, and as long as we shot off our quota of rounds ( usually at an oil drum) and they were written off, the boys got a couple of days off from their reserve duties when they got home. Most of our stuff was liberated stuff from the 67 war. Never used it in anger, but would have if necessary.
 
#18 ·
We did load a cargo of Truck's and Jeep's which were ex American Forces Reserve Stock in Europe at Hamburg, thankfully nothing like Bomb's and or Shell's. You like myself (from what I read) enjoyed yourself with the Israeli's they were a great crowd, promotion was rapid with M.F. due to the number of vessel's they had built.
 
#19 ·
Most of my time with Zim was spent on the US Gulf - Israel run. Many of those trips were called "special" and only a couple of us non-Israelis were allowed to stay ( I believe we were known as Friends). I wonder how many old Anchor Line buddies know how many Skyhawks you can get on the hatches of the old Cicilia? When we passed the "cross point" with our deck load we used to wave at the USSR ships with their deck load heading for Alex. They always waved back. Happy days
 
#22 ·
Nope, not as far as I can think.
Usual bitahon mob at the breakwaters in Ashdod or with the pilot boat off Haifa, or if we went up to Kishon then maybe a Navy guy.
Also if we had PETN aboard we did insist on a stevedore rep to come so he didn't blow us all up whilst discharging the stuff (with can-hooks!!).
Some of the radio call signs were interesting, but that is another story.
Last minute routing was also fun.
Nearly managed to bum a freebie flight on a Skyhawk trainer, but the super (smashing old guy who had flown with the RAF) heard about it and pinched my ride.
(Ouch)Truth to tell, it was tense, but I was living out there, and I would lie if I said I didn't enjoy it.
 
#21 ·
How long will it be before these 'pirates' supported by one of their mother-ships attack one of the Maldive Islands and take a load of tourists hostage? I know they may not get as much of a ransom as a 300,000 ton fully laden tanker but if the pickings are a bit scarse at the time then it may be tempting! What then International Governments? What was the ancient punishment for piracy on the high seas? Could replace that with 50mm machine gun bullets ..... word would soon get around the pirate community. On the opposite tack, arming merchant vessels or carrying security guards may prompt these pirates to 'shoot first and ask questions later'. A rocket propelled grenade can do a lot of damage.
 
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