Have these African pirates been watching Disney’s Pirates of Caribbean? You really have to wonder.
What pirate group, in their piratey mind, would engage the United States Navy? Seriously? It is the most powerful naval fleet the world has ever seen–that has ever existed–and three dudes in a skiff off the coast of Africa thought something about the USS Nicholas, an Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate, looked like an easy target?
Maybe it had something to do with the fact that it was around midnight when the exchange occurred, and they couldn’t see anything. Or maybe it has everything to do with the fact that these dudes aren’t Captain Jack Sparrow!?
The incident occurred several hundred miles off the coast of the Seychelles, a group of islands located east of the African mainland, and north of the island nation of Madagascar. According to the official report, a pirate skiff fired at the USS Nicholas. In return, the Nicholas did one of the things it was built to do, and returned fire, sending the pirates into a frenzied escape attempt.
The escape attempt didn’t work out so well–really can’t imagine why. The USS Nicholas disabled the skiff, and in the process capture three pirates. Commander Mark Hesserling then turned the focus to the mother ship, which the USS Nicholas crew was able to hunt down and disable. In the process, they captured two more pirates.
I really thought some of these pirates might have learned a lesson last year when the United States got involved in their affairs, clipping a few of the unsuspecting doofs with sniper fire. Some pirates just never learn when to sail away.
Comments
chris
April 1st, 2010 - 11:45:21 AM
I admit the following theory is a stretch. (But this attack is so improbably stupid that one searches for a motivation). Given US and Canadian Somali heritage kids are recruited by goons in their parents homeland, maybe these pirates WANTED to be caught by the US Military with the vague hope of escaping a life they had not imagined would be so horrible.
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John
April 1st, 2010 - 12:54:57 PM
First of all, the USN ship is not a Flethcher Class Destroyer. The original Nicholas was a Fletcher Destroyer. The current ship is a Perry Class Frigate. Secondly, she was attacked at night. At night a Frigate can be mistaken for a large fishing boat, especially if approached from the stern. Remember it is dark out, the skiff is bouncing around in the waves and it is very low in the sea. All the pirates saw were lights a shape that looked like a small freighter or a large fishing boat. So they came in close and opened fire. Of course the luck of the draw was not on their side, this time.
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Dave Kent
April 1st, 2010 - 3:49:56 PM
All pirates should be hung along with drug dealers and users - no trial - just do it
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