Gulf of Aden

Pirates Free American Held for 2 Years

Journalist Michael Scott Moore was kidnapped while researching piracy

(Newser) - A 45-year-old journalist who was kidnapped by Somali pirates more than two years ago has been freed, according to his family and a Somali official cited by CNN . Michael Scott Moore, who holds both US and German citizenship and was in Somalia researching a book on piracy, is said by... More »

Marines Helicopter Crashes With 25 on Board

But all are rescued in Gulf of Aden

(Newser) - Close call in the Arabian Sea: A group of 17 Marines and eight Navy sailors avoided serious injury today when their helicopter crashed in the Gulf of Aden, the Navy says. The CH-53E Super Stallion—a Marine Corps helicopter—was trying to land on the USS Mesa Verde's deck... More »

Iran: Our Navy Will Patrol Off US East Coast

'Arrogant' US to get a taste of its own medicine, admiral says

(Newser) - American ships patrol close to Iranian coasts, so the Iranians are going to send their own warships to patrol near the waters of one of the world's most "arrogant" powers, vows the head of Iran's navy. Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, speaking at a ceremony marking the anniversary... More »

13 Drown Scrambling for US Navy Aid

Migrants' boat capsizes in Gulf of Aden

(Newser) - At least 13 African migrants packed aboard a boat in the Gulf of Aden died after a scramble for supplies being handed out by the US Navy. The migrants' broken-down craft was being towed to the Somali shore by an inflatable boat from the USS Winston Churchill when sailors attempted... More »

Russia: Freed Pirates Probably Dead

Pirates never made land after being released in inflatable boat

(Newser) - A group of Somali pirates seized by Russian forces and then freed never made it to land and are probably dead, according to Russian authorities. The pirates, captured after the Russian navy freed a hijacked oil tanker last week, were released hundreds of miles from shore in an inflatable boat... More »

Private Guards Kill Somali Pirate for First Time

Encounters at sea grow more violent as ships fight back

(Newser) - 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 »

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 Hijack Tanker and Cargo Ship

214 vessels have been attacked this year

(Newser) - Somali pirates have seized a Greek cargo ship and a chemical tanker operating under a British flag, the New York Times reports. That puts 2009's Somali hijacking total at 47, with 214 vessels attacked in the Gulf of Aden and along the Somali coast. Twelve ships—carrying 263 people—are... More »

Somali Pirates Seize German Ship, 11 Crew

(Newser) - Somali pirates have hijacked a German cargo ship carrying a crew of 11 in the Gulf of Aden, the latest seizure by high-seas bandits who are holding hundreds of merchant mariners hostage, the AP reports.The MV Victoria was captured yesterday 75 miles south of Yemen. There is no information... More »

Koreas Unite to Foil Pirates

South Koreans rescue North Korean cargo ship from pirate attack

(Newser) - The Gulf of Aden was the scene of a rare example of inter-Korean cooperation yesterday as the unfriendly nations joined efforts to thwart pirates, reports the Wall Street Journal. A helicopter from a South Korean warship was sent to the rescue when a North Korean cargo ship being pursued by... More »

Dutch Forces Free 20 Pirate Hostages, Let Pirates Go

Somali pirates forced Yemeni captives to turn fishing boat into pirate mother ship

(Newser) - Dutch commandos freed 20 hostages in a raid on a pirate "mother ship" today, Reuters reports. The captives, Yemeni fisherman, had been forced to sail their vessel after it was hijacked by pirates for use in support of attacks in the Gulf of Aden. Seven pirates were briefly... More »

Somalia Seeks Funds to Fight Pirates on Land

Somali PM urges West to help his government stop pirates reaching the sea

(Newser) - Somalia's transitional government says it's ready to take on the pirates that prey on shipping off its shores, the Los Angeles Times reports. The Somalis say they can tackle the pirates on land more effectively than foreign navies can manage at sea—but they are currently outgunned and will need... More »

Somali Pirates Seize 3 More Ships

High-profile hostage rescues fail to prevent fresh hijackings

(Newser) - Somali pirates have seized another three ships in the Gulf of Aden, the AP reports. Two Egyptian fishing boats were hijacked yesterday and a Greek-owned freighter with at least 20 crew on board was seized before dawn today by pirates evidently undeterred by the recent standoff with the US Navy.... More »

US Military May Strike Pirates on Land

In Jefferson's time, US hit land bases

(Newser) - One way for the US to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden is to cut it off at the source, targeting Somali pirate land bases. Coupled with economic and food aid for Somalia’s citizens, this plan is the only “silver-bullet solution,” an analyst tells Bloomberg. Such... More »

Piracy Jacks Up Insurance, Fuel Costs

Entering high-risk areas or navigating around South Africa both add millions

(Newser) - Piracy in the Gulf of Aden is driving up shipping costs as companies are forced to choose between paying higher insurance or taking longer routes, the AP reports. Premiums have reportedly risen at least tenfold for travel near the Somali coast, and avoiding the Gulf of Aden by navigating around... More »

Ship Docks Safely; Navy Foils Pirates Seeking US Captain

FBI joins standoff rescue

(Newser) - The Maersk Alabama and its 19 American crewmembers safely reached a Kenyan port today, but their captain remains in the clutches of Somali pirates, the AP reports. Bandits controlling a German cargo ship and other hijacked vessels ship have been trying to locate the lifeboat holding Capt. Richard Phillips to... More »

Somali Pirates Strike Again, Seize Tugboat

(Newser) - A little international publicity won't deter Somali pirates. Hijackers seized a tugboat in the Gulf of Aden today, the AP reports. The vessel is Italian-owned—initial reports said American—and at least 10 of its 16 crew members are Italian. The tugboat had been towing two barges off Somalia's... More »

Pirate Hostage Dies as French Rescue 4

Operation successfully rescues four others

(Newser) - French forces rescued four hostages from a yacht held by pirates off the coast of Somalia, but one hostage was killed during today's operation, the BBC reports. Two couples and a child were on a yacht captured by pirates last week in the Gulf of Aden. The child was among... More »

Somali Pirates on Hijacking Spree, Capture 5 Ships

Somali pirates moving further afield to dodge naval patrols

(Newser) - Somali pirates operating in the Indian ocean are on a hijacking binge, reports the BBC, capturing 5 vessels since Saturday, including a British cargo ship this morning in the Gulf of Aden. AFP reports. The pirates are venturing further afield to avoid the increased international naval presence in the Gulf... More »