# Pirates attack British cargo ship



## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Pirates have attacked a British cargo ship based where I live on the Isle of Wight. Three crew have been taken hostage.

Details

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-21409734


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Quote "A Romanian and two Russians were taken when raiders boarded the Esther C cargo ship in the Gulf of Guinea.......

The nine remaining Filipino crew are reported to be safe." Unquote.

Some "British" ship.


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Ron Stringer said:


> Quote "A Romanian and two Russians were taken when raiders boarded the Esther C cargo ship in the Gulf of Guinea.......
> 
> The nine remaining Filipino crew are reported to be safe." Unquote.
> 
> Some "British" ship.


Esther C is certainly a British ship Ron, even if some of her crew are not. She is owned by Carisbrooke Shipping based in Cowes Isle of Wight. Her port of registry is Cowes, and is British flagged. We have had a thriving shipping industry on the island over the years only to lose some of it, so proud that one at least has survived. And I wonder how many ships British registered or not have an entirely British crew?. 

Oddly enough, the son of a friend of ours recently applied as a cadet and was told applicants must be of European nationality, and be permanent residents of the United Kingdom.

Anyway, it does not matter what nationality the three crew taken hostage were. They have families at home who would be worried sick. So please lets spare a thought for them, and pray for their safe return.


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## Blackal (Jan 29, 2008)

I have a 'non-violent' response to pirates............

When a British ship is attacked by (say) Somalian pirates............

1000 Somalians (and their families) are sent from the UK - back to Somalia.

It doesn't matter if they are naturalised British - back they go.

Their assets are seized, and used to pay for their 'economy' deportation back to the homeland.

Use a sliding scale (call it 'index linked' if you will) - so that if my plan doesn't work in the first year - you up it to 2000 co-countrymen (Thumb)

I don't care about 'European directives' - it is time to try an alternative tack.

Thanks for listening (Thumb)


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

I fear you would merely be supplying the pirates with reinforcements.


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## Scelerat (Sep 18, 2012)

Blackal said:


> I have a 'non-violent' response to pirates............
> 
> When a British ship is attacked by (say) Somalian pirates............
> 
> ...


And what would that achieve, exactly?


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## pilot (Jan 8, 2006)

And what would that achieve, exactly?

See post #5 for one pos. achievement.


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## ben27 (Dec 27, 2012)

good day blackal.re; pirates attack on britich merchant ships.your idea is sound.but i dont think the somalians would care.they are a 3erd.world country.and we must pour millions in aid.to conply with bruxelles.stop the aid.lets face it the people who need dont see it.but most of all.arm the crews,give them the right to repel boarders.with armed force.come on.we are britich.we dont have to take that crap.never mind the do gooders.they have never left the confort of there homes.save our seaman.all the best.ben27


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## Pat McCardle (Jun 12, 2005)

Ha'way David, British only in Flag, nowt else. What Nigeria, & the rest of East & West Africa, needs are ships with full Jock, Geordie or Scouse crews to 'Heal' the piracy threat. I say Geordies as they would 'Blend' with the locals.


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## Blackal (Jan 29, 2008)

Sadly -the world did nothing for years, about the pirate situation. It was as if being kidnapped was part of being 'a seafarer"

If it was airliners - the affected nations would have acted smartly and decisively at the start.

I'd be happy with direct retaliation at source, but when I suggested sending countrymen home - I recognise that it may make no difference, but - what harm could it do??

Al


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## Robert Hilton (Feb 13, 2011)

Blackal said:


> Sadly -the world did nothing for years, about the pirate situation. It was as if being kidnapped was part of being 'a seafarer" Al


Powerful myths support such ideas. Both Odysseus and Sinbad (Sindbad) got into quite a few scrapes.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Pat McCardle said:


> Ha'way David, British only in Flag, nowt else. What Nigeria, & the rest of East & West Africa, needs are ships with full Jock, Geordie or Scouse crews to 'Heal' the piracy threat. I say Geordies as they would 'Blend' with the locals.


That would put them far too close to the solution I had in mind!


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## Norman Best (Oct 4, 2005)

Pat McCardle said:


> Ha'way David, British only in Flag, nowt else. What Nigeria, & the rest of East & West Africa, needs are ships with full Jock, Geordie or Scouse crews to 'Heal' the piracy threat. I say Geordies as they would 'Blend' with the locals.


Typical solution from a Mackem. Norman Best Geordie and proud of it.


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## Orbitaman (Oct 5, 2007)

Pompeyfan said:


> Esther C is certainly a British ship Ron, even if some of her crew are not. She is owned by Carisbrooke Shipping based in Cowes Isle of Wight. Her port of registry is Cowes, and is British flagged. We have had a thriving shipping industry on the island over the years only to lose some of it, so proud that one at least has survived. *And I wonder how many ships British registered or not have an entirely British crew?*.
> 
> Oddly enough, the son of a friend of ours recently applied as a cadet and was told applicants must be of European nationality, and be permanent residents of the United Kingdom.
> 
> Anyway, it does not matter what nationality the three crew taken hostage were. They have families at home who would be worried sick. So please lets spare a thought for them, and pray for their safe return.


I can think of four ships off the top of my head that are British registered and are manned top to bottom by British crew.


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## Orbitaman (Oct 5, 2007)

Pompeyfan said:


> Esther C is certainly a British ship Ron, even if some of her crew are not. She is owned by Carisbrooke Shipping based in Cowes Isle of Wight. Her port of registry is Cowes, and is British flagged. We have had a thriving shipping industry on the island over the years only to lose some of it, so proud that one at least has survived. And I wonder how many ships British registered or not have an entirely British crew?.
> 
> *Oddly enough, the son of a friend of ours recently applied as a cadet and was told applicants must be of European nationality, and be permanent residents of the United Kingdom.*
> 
> Anyway, it does not matter what nationality the three crew taken hostage were. They have families at home who would be worried sick. So please lets spare a thought for them, and pray for their safe return.


This is sadly nothing to do with wanting to employ British seafarers but only to do with money. British ship owners are liable to pay 'tonnage tax' if they do not employ a ratio of British cadets to the number of Officers employed on the ship. The cost of 'tonnage tax' is more expensive than it is to train a British cadet.(Cloud)


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## James_C (Feb 17, 2005)

Orbitaman said:


> I can think of four ships off the top of my head that are British registered and are manned top to bottom by British crew.


But are they engaged in commercial work, i.e. non Governmental/do not have security issue which requires Brits?


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## Orbitaman (Oct 5, 2007)

James_C said:


> But are they engaged in commercial work, i.e. non Governmental/do not have security issue which requires Brits?


They are all available for commercial work and although some of the work they do requires security clearance, we can employ anyone as long as they can gain that clearance.


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## RayL (Apr 16, 2008)

Blackal said:


> I have a 'non-violent' response to pirates............
> When a British ship is attacked by (say) Somalian pirates............
> 1000 Somalians (and their families) are sent from the UK - back to Somalia.
> It doesn't matter if they are naturalised British - back they go.
> ...


The security arrangements on an iPad follow this procedure, as I recently discovered whilst visiting friends. Wishing to open the device after some months of non-use, I tried to guess the access code I'd chosen but got it wrong. "Wait one minute before trying again", it instructed. My second attempt was also wrong so it said "Wait 3 minutes". Next it was 15 minutes, then an hour. I gave up at that point and decided to wait until I got home and could be sure of the code. It's an effective principle.


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