Sailing through Somali Seas

My parents have just returned from a cruise aboard the Artemis which took them through waterways teeming with Somali pirates. Now you may think that the threat posed by small boats to a huge cruise ship would be negligible, but it is a very real threat which is taken very seriously by passengers and crew.

Not only were there SAS trained security staff on board, but a number of precautions are put in place to protect the ship from the dangers of piracy.

These security measures include:

• Axes to cut ropes used to grapple up the side of the ship
• Barrels of sea water to pour over invaders
• A clear area at the stern of the ship for helicopters to land with extra security if required
• Lights positioned vertically down the side of the ship to illuminate any possible pirates
• Sandbags on deck to protect from gunfire

Additionally, the promenade deck was closed, cabin curtains had to remained closed after dark and if an attempt was made to board the ship, it would sail at full power, zig zagging to make boarding as difficult as possible.

Advice given to passengers in case of a pirate attack

Now, many will ask why any would-be pirates are not simply shot in self defense, but it appears that shooting is not an option. Disturbingly, the pirates know this and obviously this works to their advantage. In the past, helicopters would neutralise the threat posed by simply shooting the engines, but now the Somalis place people over them meaning this is now impossible.

Also, while Somalis do the dirty work, it is believed that the masterminds behind the attacks are from elsewhere, possibly the Russian mafia.

During their voyage through pirate waters, the cruise ship was escorted by vessels from the International Task Force, but during this journey, the pirates tried to board the ship protecting the cruise liner. So the threat is very real indeed.

Fortunately, my parents have arrived safe and sound but I thought I'd close with an exchange from another of their cruise locations, Libya. When asked if it was true whether drivers running red lights were liable to be shot by the police, the Libyan guide replied with "Well, do you see anyone driving through on red?" which I guess answers the question!