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NEWS ABOUT: pirates

Pirates Free UK Couple After a Year

'We're very happy to be alive,' Rachel Chandler says

(Newser) - After being held captive more than a year on their 38-foot yacht in the Indian Ocean, Somali pirates have set free a British couple early today, ending one of the longest hostage situations off East Africa. Paul and Rachel Chandler appeared thin but relaxed in a small ceremony in their... More »

Cunning Crew Foils Pirates... by Locking Door

Aargh. They give up, go home

(Newser) - Somali pirates attempted to grab a French tanker yesterday, and failed—after the crew locked themselves in the control room. Unable to take over the vessel, the pirates gave up and returned to their ship. The attack took place about 100 miles off the coast of Tanzania on a liquefied... More »

US Marines Free Ship From Somali Pirates

Hijacked vessel recaptured without single shot fired

(Newser) - US Marines stormed a pirate-held freighter off the coast off Somalia yesterday and freed its crew without firing a shot. Nine heavily armed Somali pirates—who had threatened to open fire, but surrendered or fled to hiding places on the ship when the Marines boarded—were busted. It's the first... More »

Mexican Pirates Stalk Texas Lake

Cartel gunmen robbing fishermen

(Newser) - The best bass-fishing lake in America is being terrorized by Mexican pirates. Several American boaters on Falcon Lake, which straddles the US-Mexican border, have been robbed in recent weeks by boatloads of armed Mexicans believed to belong to the Zeta cartel. Most of the incidents have happened on the Mexican... More »

Captured Pirates Present Conundrum for US

Some 20 are currently languishing aboard two ships

(Newser) - The US Navy has no idea what to do with 10 alleged Somali pirates that have been languishing in the brig on one of its warships for more than a month. Though any country can jail and prosecute pirates under international law, the US only does so if they're accused... More »

Russia Frees Pirates Who Seized Tanker

They even got their boats back

(Newser) - The pirates seized by a Russian warship off the coast of Somalia have been released, despite initial tough talk about taking them to Russia to face trial. "Imperfections" in international law forced the change in course, a defense ministry spokesman told the AP today, declining to elaborate. Some countries... More »

Russians Storm Pirated Oil Tanker, Free Crew

Commandos capture pirates in raid on SS Moscow University

(Newser) - Russian commandos rappelled from helicopters to storm a hijacked oil tanker off the coast of Somalia at dawn today, freeing the ship's crew of 23 Russians and capturing the pirates. One pirate was killed in the operation, but there were no other injuries aboard the SS Moscow University, the AP... More »

US Navy Captures 5 Pirates, Mothership

Exchanged fire, sank skiff near Seychelles

(AP) - US naval forces say they've captured five pirates after exchanging fire with them, sinking their skiff, and confiscating a mothership. The USS Nicholas came under fire early today from pirates in an area west of the Seychelles. The US Africa Command said the five pirates seized would remain in US... More »

Private Guards Kill Somali Pirate for First Time

Encounters at sea grow more violent as ships fight back

(AP) - Private security guards shot and killed a Somali pirate yesterday during an attack on a merchant ship off the coast of East Africa in what is believed to be the first such killing by armed contractors. The guards were onboard the MV Almezaan when a pirate group approached it twice,... More »

US Navy Thwarts Pirate Attack on Tanzanian Ship

Eight pirates captured while trying to escape

(Newser) - A US warship stepped in to defend a Tanzanian ship that was under attack from pirates, scaring off and capturing the scallywags. When the USS Farragut got a distress call from the Tanzanians saying a gang on a skiff was attacking them, a Seahawk helicopter was dispatched to the scene.... More »

Ransom Paid, Pirates Release Greek Ship

(Newser) - Pirates have released a Greek-owned vessel and its crew of 22, months after hijacking it off Somalia. The MV Filitsa and its crew were freed after the company that owed it paid an undisclosed ransom, CNN reports. A spokesman for the company said that all on board were "well... More »

British Pirate Captives Beg for Help

Death looms without ransom

(Newser) - A British couple abducted by pirates as they sailed off Africa are pleading for help before they're killed. Rachel Chandler, seized three months ago and held separately from her husband, Paul, in Somalia, begged for aid in a phone call to British TV after the pirates vowed to kill them... More »

Bickering Pirates Shoot Each Other Over $7M Ransom

Somalis had called on antipiracy force to fend off rivals

(Newser) - At least three Somali pirates have been killed fighting over the biggest ransom in the history of piracy. A gun battle broke in out the pirate haven of Harardhere last night after a record $7 million was paid to secure the release of the Greek supertanker Maran Centaurus, its $150... More »

Fishermen Hook Silver Lining in Pirate Crisis

Fish stocks soar after bandits scare away illegal trawlers

(Newser) - The fishermen of Kenya and Somalia are enjoying their best catches in many years thanks to Somali pirates scaring away illegal trawlers. Before piracy became a problem, commercial fishing vessels from around the world took advantage of Somalia's lack of an effective government to raid its waters, reaping vast numbers... More »

Ships Take Up Arms Against Pirates

Maritime tradition fades amid rise in attacks

(Newser) - The maritime tradition of commercial shipping going unarmed is being abandoned in the face of the threat from Somali pirates. Shipping firms are hiring teams of guards—from $25,000 up—for the passage through the Gulf of Aden. Insurers are offering steep discounts to ships packing heat and security... More »

Somali Pirates Seize 2 More Ships

Cargo ship and chemical tanker make 4 taken this week

(Newser) - Pirates hijacked two more ships—a British cargo ship and an Indonesian chemical tanker—off the coast of Somalia yesterday, officials said this morning, bringing to four the number seized this week, despite an international naval armada aimed at protecting shipping in the area. The latest targets were the UK-flagged... More »

Texas Tech Suspends Coach Over Abuse Allegation

Mike Leach allegedly had injured WR isolated in dark, empty room

(Newser) - Texas Tech has suspended football coach Mike Leach after allegations from a player that Leach ordered him placed in dark, solitary confinement in the wake of a concussion. A source tells ESPN that after sophomore receiver Adam James—son of Craig, a standout college and pro running back and now... More »

Somali Pirates Hijack Oil Tanker Heading to US

Crude oil poses threat to security, environment

(AP) - Somali pirates seized a tanker carrying crude oil in the increasingly dangerous waters off East Africa yesterday, an attack that could pose a huge environmental or security threat to the region. The Greece-flagged Maran Centaurus, a large crude carrier with a capacity of 300,000 tons, was hijacked off the... More »

Pirates Holding 12-Year-Old Girl for Ransom

Released hostage says he saw child, other women aboard vessel

(Newser) - A just-released pirate hostage says the Somalian scallywags are holding a 12-year-old Ukrainian girl captive aboard the British ship Ariana. Captain Ricardo Blach, whose ship, the Alakrana, was released last week after six weeks of captivity, says the pirates at one point brought him aboard the Ariana, where he met... More »

Maersk Alabama Repels 2nd Pirate Attack

Attempted takeover repelled by guards

(AP) - Somali pirates today attacked the Maersk Alabama for the second time in seven months, but guards on board the US-flagged cargo ship repelled the takeover attempt. When pirates attacked with automatic weapons early this morning about 350 nautical miles east of the Somali coast, guards on board the craft fired... More »

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