Some people think that the days of pirates are long gone. The truth is that they’re alive and well, armed with the latest modern technology and weapons. There are plenty of rogue states from which they can operate, and plenty of harbors in which to hide. The seas aren’t as tame as one might think.
Just this week, one such attack too place off the coast of Somalia. Pirates in speedboats attacked a Carnival cruise ship 100 miles offshore, firing machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. After a tense, 90 minute battle, the ship escaped by blasting the pirates with a sonic weapon.
During my Navy days, we transited the Malaccan Strait near Singapore. The Malaccan Strait connects the Pacific ocean to the Indian ocean. It’s one of the busiest waterways on the planet, and chock full of pirates. We were wary of other ships as we transited, though any pirate bold enough to attack a U.S. Navy destroyer deserves what he gets. Vessels without the benefit of 5 inch guns or Harpoon missiles are vulnerable to robbery, kidnapping, or death at the hands of pirates. There aren’t a lot of options when you find yourself between an AK-47 and the ocean.
We didn’t meet any pirates on that cruise, but we did rescue a boatload of Vietnamese refugees who had been attacked by pirates. The 47 men, women, and children were robbed of their food and valuables and the gas lines to their engine were severed. Fortunately for them, they were stranded near busy shipping lanes. It made me think that even in the days of GPS, satellite phones, and radar, no one is safe from pirate attacks.
