93027 Piracy

Stolen Mooring Lines
- South East Asia.
- Report No. 93027.

Having loaded a cargo of bagged rice, we had to go to the anchorage to await port clearance. I had arranged with the agents for two armed policemen to remain on board until departure time.

At around 2100 I received a call from the motor technician that some kind of battle was going on at the after end of the ship. I immediately got hold of one parachute signal and went aft. I found the 3rd Officer and two A.B.'s pulling on one mooring rope with the aid of the winch, while the other end was hanging overside astern through the Panama lead. I looked overside and saw one tug boat pulling the rope, but it was not strong enough against the power of the winch, and the tug was being pulled towards the ship.

There was no name on the hull. I fired the parachute towards the tug and it exploded with lots of light being thrown around. I asked the 3rd Mate if there were any pirates on board. he said there were none on board. The motor technician then called the police along and I asked them to use their guns but they refused. The tug, at this time, parted the rope and retired. One of my crew, being so frustrated, attacked one of the policemen and grabbed his gun. He then pointed the gun at the tug and started firing, to my surprise the gun was not loaded. I managed to calm everybody and after things had cooled down we noticed that one of the ropes was already gone, and that half of the second rope had been saved.

I strongly believe that the two policemen knew the pirates and did not want to take any action against them. I concluded that parachute signals in such cases serve a valuable purpose and would like to see if you agree with my action, or how you would have handled the situation.

The D.Tp. Merchant Shipping Notice M1517 mentions armed robberies against ships at anchor having occurred off West African ports from Senegal south to Angola. In South America similar attacks have occurred off Colombian, Venezuelan and Brazilian ports. Recent attacks off Brazilian ports, notably Rio de Janeiro and Santos, have involved the use of firearms by the robbers and the death of two crew members. This report was concerning an incident which took place in South East Asia. M1517 also states that distress flares should only be used when the master considers that the attackers actions are putting his ship in imminent danger. In the likelihood of crew being killed or injured it is difficult to condemn the use of distress signals for defence, however, a spokesman for a firm who manufacture flares said that, although this use was feasible, it should only be used as a last resort. It is quite possible that someone could be seriously injured or killed and the Master would be liable to criminal charges. Giving advice from the comfort of an armchair is easy but I would be interested to hear what people who have experienced attacks think about the use of flares to scare off robbers.