1 Mar 2011

Attempted hijacking of superyacht

By William Mathieson

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Synfo.com can reveal that pirates in the Arabian Sea have attempted to hijack another private vessel, believed to be a superyacht. According to reports the superyacht, which was being escorted through the region by a security team, was attacked by pirates. The security forces repelled the attack and the yacht evaded capture.

The identity of the vessel is not yet known but it follows the hijacking of the 13m Danish S/V Ing, which was carrying a family of five and two crewmembers when it was seized 225 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen. Both incidents come only a week after four sailors were killed by pirates aboard the S/V Quest.

Christopher Ledger, Operations Director of maritime security service provider Idarat Marine, says that these incidents are indicative of yacht owners’ collective failure to take proper precautions when navigating in unsafe waters:

“To an extent the yachting fraternity needs to grow up. By sailing through the region these vessels are inadvertently diverting the already sparse deployment of security forces away from the commercial vessels they are in place to protect.

“Granted, for some it represents the only feasible route but there are still a number of absolutely necessary precautions which should be in place before trying to negotiate the Gulf of Aden.”

Mr Ledger explains that, those who must navigate the route should do so in convoys of sufficiently powerful and sufficiently well equipped superyachts:

“A decent superyacht with very good watch-keeping on board will have few problems sailing through the Gulf but, as proved in the case of the hijacked Danish vessel, small pleasure vessels have no place navigating through such dangerous waters. It is both an unnecessary risk and a highly irresponsible decision.”

Graeme Gibbon-Brooks, Chief Executive of security intelligence service Dryad Maritime, believes the recent spate of hijackings have brought best management practices under scrutiny:

“These appalling incidents are happening with great regularity, particularly during the Northeast Monsoon season. During this period it is very risky to traverse the area and our advice would be, ‘just don’t go’. 

“A safer option is to heavy lift one’s vessel to its destination, rather than attempting to navigate the Gulf of Aden. We understand though, that this is not always possible but we are now all luridly aware of the gamble crews are taking by travelling through these waters.”

Mr Gibbon-Brooks would advise his clients initially to refer to the best management practices advocated by the naval forces operating in the region, although he warns that these guidelines are drawn up with commercial vessels in mind.

‘Hardening’ a vessel is one such practice and involves making her as impenetrable as possible, usually by covering her in razor wire. An example of such methods has been outlined in an article previously featured on Synfo.com.

However, sometimes these practices simply aren’t adequate, especially in very busy months such as January and February. Because of this, and the vast geographical area being policed, many international organisations have softened their stance on armed guards aboard vessels.

The increasing frequency with which armed security teams are boarding yachts raises moral and legal dilemmas, which centre upon one particular issue: whether someone’s fundamental right to protect themselves extends to a third person who has paid for protection.

Mr Gibbon-Brooks says that the litigation governing this issue is highly complex:

“ There are a number of laws that apply to this scenario. The law surrounding the carriage of weapons for example, falls under the autonomy of the flag state to which the vessel is registered.”

In layman’s terms, the rules governing the use of a firearm reflect the laws of the country where the vessel is registered. This could prove to either facilitate or prohibit the deployment of firearms in event of attack. It is absolutely vital then, for any owner recruiting an onboard security team to undertake substantial legal checks that identify what is and isn’t permitted aboard the vessel. 

WM

Related Links

Dryad Maritime Intelligence Profile | Dryad Maritime Intelligence Website

Idarat Maritime Website

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