Pirate Attacks

Pirate attacks have routinely made headlines. The region of the Horn of Africa is repeatedly in the news for pirate attacks.

There are few things scarier than being viciously attacked by pirates while on the open sea. While the Navy has repeatedly gone out on a limb to rescue victims of pirate attacks, the unwelcome reality is that not everybody is this lucky. They hijack a boat in order to receive ransoms from the boat owners- and they have received millions of dollars for these tactics.

PRECAUTIONARY TIPS

This begs the question, in the event of a pirate attack, what measures can you take that increase your chance of surviving? First of all, before even heading into pirate waters it is a good idea to take some precautionary measures:

- Practice onboard training and drills in the event of a pirate attack before your voyage;

- Put barbed wire around your ship and in places like the gangway opening;

- Prepare fire hose;

- Shut and lock all openings of accommodation on open deck;

- Shut and lock all openings of engine and steering room from the open deck;

- Inform international maritime security center before you enter pirate waters;

- Keep a vigilant watch on all sides of the ship;

- Know where other merchant vessels are within the vicinity.

In case of suspicious movement or pirates trying to board the vessel, steps to be followed:

• Inform master & Engine Room.
• Raise the emergency alarm signal and address on PA “Ship Under Pirate Attack”. All Crew To Proceed To Secured Ares. Sound the whistle.
• Change over to hand steering and post extra lookouts on bridge.
• Emergency means of communication to be located (carried to) the secured area.
• Establish VHF contact with coast station and other ships in vicinity.
• Request Assistance From Local Port Authority, Coast Guard & Navy.
• If possible, speed up & carry out evasive maneuvers.
• Direct search lights on the craft & possibly blind the craft.
• Fix time & position of attack.

Normal practice is to avoid violence if you don’t have special navy guards on board. Only actin for self-defense. Pirates carrying weapons do not usually open fire until they are very close to the ship, e.g. within two cables. Use whatever time available, no matter how short, to activate any additional protective measures and plans. This will make it clear to the attackers that they have been seen, the ship is prepared and will resist attempts to board.

If a pirate attack is eminent:

- Inform the nearest coastal security authority that pirates are approaching your ship;

- Increase the ship speed to the maximum RPM;

- Drive aggressively to create a wave and thwart the pirates;

- Stay low in order to avoid injury from pirate guns and launchers;

- If pirates begin boarding, all the crew should gather into a safe room;

- Crew should follow any of the pirates' demands;

- Don't be aggressive in your interaction with the pirates.

Actions on illegal boarding.

If the ship is illegally boarded the following actions should be taken:

• Take all way off the ship and then stop the engines.
• All remaining crew members to proceed to the citadel or safe muster point locking all internal doors on route.
• Ensure all crew are present in the citadel or safe muster point. This includes the Master, bridge, deck and engine team.
• Establish communications from the citadel with Traffic Control or Coordination Center and confirm all crew are accounted for and in the citadel or safe muster point.
• Stay in the citadel until conditions force you to leave or advised by the military.
• If any member of the crew is captured it should be considered that the pirates have full control of the ship.

Vigilance is one of the best methods in protecting your ship against a pirate attack. Pirates tend to sneak up and attack at dawn and dusk to avoid detection. If you can steer clear of "pirate hot spots," that is recommended too.