Korsanlar!

Yok artık o eski çengel kollu, tahta bacaklı Long John Silver'lar... Teknoloji gelişip devir değişince korsanlık da çağ atladı. Artık korsanlar RPG-7'li, AK-47'li ve gemileri de Hispaniola değil, motor botlar, sürat tekneleri.. Özellikle Hint Okyanusu ve Uzakdoğu'da korsanlık, ticaret açısından büyük tehdit. Zira başta elektronik eşya olmak üzere kaçakçılık ve karaborsa ile yasadışı göç ve insan ticaretini besleyen, ve bunlardan beslenen bir tehdit haline gelmiş durumda. Ülkelerin ulusal güvenliklerini tehdit edebilecek boyutlarda hem de.. İşte en son örnek:

Navy: Pirates Hijack S. Korean Ship
Associated Press | April 05, 2006
WASHINGTON - Pirates captured a South Korean-flagged fishing vessel off the coast of Somalia on Tuesday and efforts by a U.S. Navy ship and a Dutch vessel to intervene were abandoned when members of the South Korean crew were threatened with guns and the ship slipped into Somali territorial waters, the Navy said.

Cmdr. Jeff Breslau, spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain, said he did not know the number of crew aboard the South Korean vessel, the Dong Won.

It was the latest in a series of incidents off the coast of Somalia. On March 18, two U.S. Navy ships exchanged gunfire with suspected pirates, killing one and wounding five. No U.S. sailors were injured. Somalis involved in that incident later claimed they were patrolling Somali waters to stop illegal fishing when the U.S. ships fired on them.

On Tuesday morning, naval ships patrolling international waters in the Persian Gulf region as part of an international Maritime security mission received a radio distress call from the Dong Won, which reported that it had been fired upon about 60 miles off the coast of Somalia, according to a statement issued by 5th Fleet.

Some hours later the guided missile destroyer USS Roosevelt and the Dutch ship HNLMS Zeven Provincien arrived at the scene. Apparently, by that time the pirates had taken control of the fishing vessel.

Breslau said that when the Dong Won turned toward Somali territorial waters, one or both of the U.S. and Dutch ships tried to intercept it and fired warning shots in its direction. Members of the South Korean crew were seen on the deck of the Dong Won with guns pointed at them, so the intercept effort was broken off, he added.

"The top priority is the safety of innocent lives," the 5th Fleet statement said.

Breslau said the U.S. and Dutch ships remained in the area in international waters to monitor the situation.

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,93276,00.html

Coalition Naval Assets Challenge Hijackers On South Korean Motor Vessel


Story Number: NNS060404-16
Release Date: 4/4/2006 6:40:00 PM

From Combined Forces Maritime Component Public Affairs
USS ROOSEVELT (NNS) -- Ships conducting maritime security operations (MSO) as part of Coalition Task Force 150 (CTF 150), received bridge-to-bridge reports at approximately 10 a.m. local, April 4 from Motor Vessel Dong Won (628), a South Korean-flagged fishing vessel, that it had been fired upon approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia.

Combined Maritime Forces Component Commander (CFMCC), based in Bahrain, immediately directed multiple maritime assets from CTF 150 to respond.

The Dutch ship HNLMS Zeven Provincien (F 802) and the guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), which were conducting maritime security operations in the vicinity, were tasked to monitor the situation.

At approximately 3 p.m., Dong Won, towing two skiffs, turned toward Somali territorial waters. The coalition ships tried to thwart it from doing so; however, the motor vessel did reach territorial waters after the pirates aboard demonstrated hostile intent toward the crew members. The top priority is the safety of innocent lives. CTF 150 assets remained in international waters and continued to monitor the situation.

TF 150 routinely patrols the international waters of the Gulf of Oman, North Arabian Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea conducting maritime security operations.

MSO help set the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment and complement the counter-terrorism and security efforts of regional nations. MSO deny international terrorists use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.

CTF 150 is one of three coalition maritime task forces that conduct MSO under the direction of Vice Adm. Patrick Walsh, CFMCC, based in Bahrain. Walsh also commands CTF 58 in the northern Persian Gulf and CTF 152, which is responsible for patrolling the central and southern Persian Gulf.

http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=22991