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I watched a documentary (I think it was "Stolen Seas") about a cargo ship that had been captured by pirates, held captive for (iirc?) months. After they were ev
by bmelton 3y ago
I watched a documentary (I think it was "Stolen Seas") about a cargo ship that had been captured by pirates, held captive for (iirc?) months. After they were eventually released, the documentary captured their passage through the same Somali sea where they were captured last time.
They turned all their steam exhausts to point out and blast everything on the upper deck. Took giant ropes, wrapped them in barbed wire, and tossed them ashore to bounce around in the seas to discourage any small vessels from coming near. I'm remembering this because I think they had zero people on deck (opposite of the mannequin strategy) -- as due to the steam, it would have been wildly unsafe to be there.
In short, their preparations were considerably more thorough, but I can't help but wonder if they'd have considered mannequins if they'd thought of it.
- ok_dad 3y agoThey could just secure all the hatches and redesign any above deck elements to be locked down as well, kinda like how a secure door fixed aircraft hijacking’s. Just keep the crew inside behind locked steel doors! You don’t really need windows, a few cameras would be fine to drive with. Pirates can come onboard but couldn’t do anything from the deck in this case.
- hnbear 3y agoI’d guess here on a boat out at sea, a long way from rescue, you’re more at risk of someone with a cutting tool, explosives, etc breaking in. After all they have days till you can steam to a safe port to break in. They’re armed pirates, they’ll just cut open/blow open a door. People don’t want to blow up planes while in them, and can’t take heavy tools through security checks. Boarding ships at sea comes without those draw back.
- IG_Semmelweiss 3y agoPower tools and portable power may be too expensive for a local, upstart pirate.
- vkou 3y agoThey aren't. Pirates aren't cavemen equipped with stone knives and bear skins.
- guappa 3y agoWeapons cost more anyways… if they can afford weapons they can afford tools.
- Cthulhu_ 3y agoI dunno if they cost more, I'm reading an AK-47 can go for like $150, and they're built to last.
- bergie 3y agoAs far as I've understood it, the pirates don't buy their own equipment. Instead there is a "Venture Capitalist" somewhere like UAE funding the trip. A colleague of mine was on a navy ship that captured a boat full of pirates off Somalia, but it's been a while and my recollection of the details they found out is hazy.
- bookofjoe 3y ago>Pirates ATTACK The WRONG US Navy Ship and Then THIS HAPPENED... https://youtu.be/QCqNtLdqXi0?si=7L8WuN8qjn7YT7Nn https://youtu.be/QCqNtLdqXi0?si=7L8WuN8qjn7YT7Nn
- Cthulhu_ 3y agoThese aren't upstarts though, piracy is an established practice and power tools are relatively cheap.
- acyou 3y agoI don't think they would be interested in Ryobi, they would want to be using oxyacetylene torches. The effect would be something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOgKwKFG4Z0&ab_channel=QuoteTheGuy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOgKwKFG4Z0&ab_channel=Quote... Given the large ship breaking industries in some of these areas, I think these would be pretty easy to come by, and they are very portable (though I wouldn't want to be the one hauling the tanks up a rope ladder over the side of a ship).
- two_handfuls 3y agoPirates want to negotiate with the boat owner for release, they don’t need to control the boat for that - it’s enough to stop it. Which they can easily do if they have physical unrestrained access and plenty of time.
- bookofjoe 3y ago"Stolen Seas" trailer: https://youtu.be/m3hsgzWlNTY?si=zXJaMkY3alYa5AEH https://youtu.be/m3hsgzWlNTY?si=zXJaMkY3alYa5AEH