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Somali Mother Ships Remain At Large
December 18, 2007: For the past two months, the
U.S. Navy has been operating within Somali territorial waters, against Somali
pirates. So far, this has only resulted in two American destroyers following a
6,300 ton Japanese tanker, taken over by pirates, to the village the pirates
were using as a base. There, the U.S. warship harassed the pirates, who made
threats, but eventually lowered their ransom demands and got off the tanker.
This particular pirate base supports about 200 gunmen, and half a dozen or more
speedboats. The American warships destroyed several of the speedboats, and
promises to destroy more. But there are several nests of pirates along the
3,000 kilometers long Somali coastline. There are also one or more larger
ships, capable of taking speedboats 300-400 kilometers off the coast, where
most shipping now operates. These "mother ships" support the speedboats full of
armed men, that actually take the merchant vessels or fishing boats. U.S., and
other NATO warships, are trying to develop tactics that will make it possible
to nail the pirates before more ships are taken. So far, that has proved
difficult.
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