Bangladesh Buccaneers: Chittagong anchorage - nineteen incidents have been reported since January 28 2006. Pirates are targeting ships preparing to anchor. Recently reported incidents
May 22 2006 at 0620 LT in posn: 09:16.7N - 014:42.5W, 60nm from Conakry, Guinea. Two speedboats approached a product tanker underway and six pirates armed with automatic rifles and RPG boarded. They took hostage cook and forced him to take them to master's cabin. Two pirates went to the bridge and took hostage Conning Officer. Two more pirates were stationed on port and stbd at cargo deck and aimed their weapons at the bridge. When cook arrived at master's cabin and informed that pirates were on board, Master sent security message. Master was taken to the bridge and pirates demanded cargo documents which were produced. Pirates then demanded cash and master handed over about USD3, 000. Pirates disembarked at 0650 and fled. Description of boat (main boat): 5 - 7 meters in length, metallic grey/green, engine - Yamaha 40, name on hull - "kassa p 17". Second boat: 15 - 20 meters in length without any identity marks. Leader of pirates spoke Portuguese.
May 22 2006 at 0300 LT at Chittagong anchorage 'B', Bangladesh.
Two unlit boats approached a container ship. One boat with ten robbers armed with long knives came close and two robbers boarded using grappling hooks. Deck Officer raised alarm and robbers escaped.
May 20 2006 at 0810 UTC at Kingston outer anchorage, Jamaica. Two boats approached a container ship. One boat had five robbers armed with knives and the other had one. They tried to board but Deck Officer raised alarm, crew mustered, activated fire hoses and directed searchlights and boarding was averted. Master reported incident but received no response from coast guard.
May 20 2006 at 0245 LT in position 17:52.7N - 076:46.6W, Kingston outer anchorage, Jamaica. Five persons in a small unlit boat approached a container ship. Alert crew directed searchlights at the boat and boarding was averted. At 0305 LT and 0315 LT two other ships at anchorage reported attacks by robbers.
May 18 2006 at 2350 LT in position 01:13.8N - 103:34.8E, west OPL, Singapore straits. Five boats, dark brown colour with 2-3 men in each boat, approached a bulk carrier at anchor and prepared grappling hooks for boarding. Alert crew raised alarm and activated fire hoses. Attempted boarding was averted.
From the Better Late Than Never Desk:
April 30 2006 at river Krishna, Andhra Pradesh, India. Four armed Maoist and a female accomplice boarded as passengers onboard two passenger vessels. Most of the passengers and crew were forced to disembarked but ten people were held as hostages. The hostages were later freed and the Maoists blew up the vessels. The hijackers were then pursued by armed police as they tried to escape.