U.S.-Flagged Maersk Alabama Thwarts Second Pirate Attack

[Hissyspit]

Source: CNN

U.S. ship thwarts second pirate attack
November 18, 2009 6:20 a.m. EST

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Maersk Alabama guards drive off pirates with gunfire
Ship was at center of bloody hijack drama in April

(CNN) -- The U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama, which played a central role in a bloody hijacking drama last spring, was attacked again Wednesday. This time, the container ship evaded the attack by firing back, the European Union's anti-piracy force said.

Pirates fired automatic weapons at the ship as it sailed about 350 nautical miles east of the Somali coast, the EU naval force said. Guards aboard the ship fired back, repelling the attack.

No casualties were reported.

The Danish-owned ship was previously hijacked in the Indian Ocean in April.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/11/18/maersk.alabama.pirates/index.html

[Demeter]

1. Slow Learners

[Ian David]

2. They must be friends of Joe Lieberman.

They don't care if they get their asses kicked, they just want the media attention.

[slackmaster]

3. They actually defended themselves

What a novel idea!

[Posteritatis]

7. I'm definitely curious about how that affects the ship's ability to travel

If they're armed there's some ports closed to them, full stop, but I'm wondering for which ones that's not the case.

[Katya Mullethov]

4. Freighter shoots back----leaves SS. PCGOODTHINK listing and adrift

Did we offer an official apology yet ?

[sudopod]

5. What are you

I don't even

[Katya Mullethov]

6. You probably should

[tkmorris]

8. This seems apropos of nothing

Is there a point you were trying to make?

[Posteritatis]

9. He's probably snarking at the site's pro-pirate contingent. (nt)

[chrisa]

10. They crashed the pirates' party.

Yarrr...

[Katya Mullethov]

11. "Why doesnt Ahmed write anymore ?"

If they go out and dont come back , eventually they will run out of volunteers .

[jpak]

13. Obama 's apology last time was heard loud and clear

maybe you don't remember.

Oh yeah - it was the maritime industry - not PC-folk - that resisted armed security aboard ships in the Indian Ocean.

Duh

[one-eyed fat man]

12. according to the New York Times

Much of the Times article covers events from the pirates’ perspective. Apparently, Somali pirates are merely environmentalists being victimized by evil gun enthusiasts at Maersk, however, the article did seem to confirm that some of the pirates did suffer from their exposure to loud noises:


"Pirates in Xarardheere, one of their strongholds in Somalia, said Wednesday that some of their colleagues had been killed Tuesday night.

'We have been told over the phone today that four of our colleagues were killed and two were injured,' said a Somali pirate boss known as Red Teeth. 'We will keep attacking on foreign vessels until illegal fishing and toxic dump is stopped,' he added."

Pirates Attack Maersk Alabama Again