Pirates on Somalian Waters

Mysterious ships firing on merchant ships and tankers, using machine guns and rocket launchers sounds like the basis for an adventure movie. But instead of film crews and cameras, the cruise ship Balmoral experienced this very scene for real when it was threatened by pirates in the Gulf of Aden outside of Somalia earlier in March. Pirates, in this day and age?

Somali pirates have been terrorizing the seas in this area of the Indian Ocean for at least the last few years, with reports of attacks in both 2007 and 2008. Merchant ships that can be held for ransom are primary targets, but as the cruise ship Balmoral found, any ship sailing these waters may come under fire from the unscrupulous pirates.

The Balmoral had embarked from Jordan two weeks earlier on a three month cruise to India, and was venturing through the Gulf of Aden on March 3rd, 2009. Although reports of the event were conflicting, it seems that the Balmoral was approached by two vessels of unknown origin shortly before 8pm. As cruise ship personnel consider first the safety of their passengers, guests were requested to go below to their staterooms while the ship’s Master initiated an alternative maneuvering to avoid possible issues. The EU Coalition Task Force was alerted to the situation while a US Naval ship arrived to safely escort the Balmoral through the Gulf.

While accounts of the cruise ship being fired upon have been detailed by some, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines categorically states this is not the case. The mystery vessels did indeed come within range of the Balmoral, and searchlights and flares were utilized to alert these craft that they had been recognized, but no gunfire or other attack methods were directed at the cruise ship. This seems to be verified by the fact that the Balmoral continued on its scheduled itinerary once escorted from the Gulf.

It is true that pirates do exist in this day and age; especially in this area of the Indian Ocean. Because this area is a bustling shipping lane, it is a lucrative target for thieves. In response, over 20 ships from Nato, EU, China and Russia have set in place regular patrols of the Somalian waters and the Horn of Africa. Cruise ships are continually on the watch for any type of suspicious activity and, as shown by the Balmoral, reacts immediately and proactively to protect their guests.