US Sailboat Taken Hostage by Pirates

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belimom

belimom

Speak the truth even if your voice shakes~M.Kuhn
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This is really dear to my heart as we are sailors and hope to circumnavigate someday. I have no idea how close they were to Somalia but it seems that the pirates are roaming farther and farther into the Indian Ocean. The website for the owners is www.svquest.com and their last "Spot" location showed them on the coast of India near Mumbai six days ago. I guess they left and headed across the Indian Ocean... I hope they are released safely and not held as long as Paul and Rachel Chandler: 388 days.


Somali pirates hijack U.S. yacht


Somali pirates hijacked a yacht with four Americans on board Friday afternoon in the Indian Ocean, officials said.

Omar Jamal, first secretary at the Somali mission, identified the yacht as the S/V Quest.

More at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41672888/ns/world_news-africa/#
Click to expand...
 
Here's the thing.... What is the best way to respond? As a fellow sailor/cruiser, I would want anything and everything done to save me/my family. However, the more ransoms that are paid, the more it perpetuates the cycle.

I think the answer is preventing (or at least reducing) situations like this from happening again by having military action against the pirates. Considering that the Suez Canal is utilized so heavily for economic/shipping reasons, the transit should be safe - and unless the destination from the canal is the Red Sea, you have to enter and/or exit into the Gulf of Aden. And that's where so many of these attacks are occurring. But piracy shows that crimes *does* pay - and I think it needs to be stopped... IMO....


Pirates hijack 4 Americans; US mulls responses

..............
A U.S. military spokesman at Central Command in Florida said: "We're aware of the situation and we continue to monitor it."

Matt Goshko, a spokesman at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, which oversees Somalia, said preliminary reports indicate there are four U.S. citizens aboard the Quest.
"All relevant U.S. agencies are monitoring the situation, working to develop further information, assess options and possible responses," Goshko said.

..............

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/0...capture-4-americans-1489294761/#ixzz1EPYq4VbC
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belimom, thanks for posting about this, this is a scary situation with these pirates. I quickly clicked your link as we have friends that are out sailing around everywhere and I worry about them alot.

My husband said that the insurance companies are looking into setting up their own "military" so to speak to protect these ships that are getting hijacked, because it will be cheaper in the long run for them. Not sure where he heard about it prob. NPR I will see if I can find something about it.

My Prayers are with these people, I hope they are at the least let go unharmed, you can always replace your boat not your life......
 
59552310.jpg


Somali pirates hijack yacht of U.S. couple on Bible mission


Pirates off the coast of Somalia have hijacked the yacht of a couple on a worldwide voyage distributing Bibles, according to Somalia's U.N. Mission.

Jean and Scott Adam have been sailing around the world for six years on their sailboat, the S/V Quest. They have raced with the Del Rey Yacht Club in Marina del Rey, which has been their mail drop during their global odyssey.

Omar Jamal, first secretary at the Somali mission, said Friday that pirates in the Indian Ocean had taken four U.S. citizens captive when they hijacked the S/V Quest, according to the Associated Press. The other two people have not been identified.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-yacht-captured-20110219,0,73608.story
 
Somali pirates seize yacht with four Americans onboard, military says

SNIP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The U.S. military is prepared to intervene in the situation if necessary, said Rear Adm. Charles Gaouette, deputy commander of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain.

"They were part of a sailing group that set sail from the southern tip of India into the western Indian Ocean," he said, adding that the situation is being monitored with U.S. Central Command.

Gaouette said there is no reason to believe the hijacked yacht has been taken to the coastline of Somalia yet, though pirates in the region have been known to do so.

Another U.S. official, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the situation, said the United States is determining what military assets are in the region and the capabilities of the personnel onboard. The official said that the pirates are believed to be on board the yacht with the Americans, and the next step would be to determine with the military could keep the yacht from reaching the shore -- either by blocking or harassing it.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/19/somalia.us.yacht/?hpt=Sbin
 
Here was their planned route -- India to Oman, then stopping in Djibouti to refuel before heading into the Red Sea. Very interesting comment from their website - all cruisers know the dangers of that area and I think they knew the risk (their route keeps as far away from Somalia as possible):

Djibouti is a big refueling stop. I have NO idea what will happen in these ports, but perhaps we'll do some local touring. Due north is the Red Sea where we plan to tuck in when winds turn to the north.

http://www.svquest.com/2011_travels.htm
Click to expand...

IndianOcean.jpg
 
I was hoping they could be interceded by armed forced before reaching Somalia, but it is expected that they will reach Somalia tomorrow...

.........
Pirates say the yacht will make landfall in Somalia on Sunday, which would reduce the chances of a fast rescue dramatically. A British sailing couple hijacked by pirates was held hostage in a stiflingly hot Somali region for more than a year.
.........
Pirates have recently tied hostages upside down and dragged them in the sea, locked them in freezers, beaten them and used plastic ties around their genitals, the commander of the European Union anti-piracy force, Maj. Gen. Buster Howes told AP this month.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/0...capture-4-americans-1489294761/#ixzz1ESJczeVl
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lucky181 said:
Apparently they were sailing with a group of other boats until recently. This website names the two people who were also on the boat with them, Phyllis Mackay and Bob Riggle.

http://www.yachtrallies.co.uk/index.php/blue-water-rally/295-s-v-quest.html
Click to expand...


More about the rally from the link above - I really wish they would have stayed with the convoy as it's the safest way to transit those waters, if you are going to be doing so:

It is true that we take a route past Aden and up the Red Sea. However, when approaching notorious waters, the rally is organized into tactical defensive formations and you are briefed on a strategy which offers the best chance of avoiding any unwanted piratical attention. Blue Water Rallies have been helping yachts safely through the Red Sea approaches for 15 years – that is about 200 yachts and lots more people. So far we have a 100% success record. We liaise very closely with all the friendly forces in the area and we report the positions of each convoy at regular intervals. Whilst we cannot provide an armed escort, we do have naval forces keeping a brotherly eye open for your welfare. If you are going to sail through these waters, we like to think that sailing with us is the safest way to do it.
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The USS Momsen may try to intervene:

Sailboat Hijacking UPDATE – USS Momsen (DDG 92) on scene

Exclusive gCaptain sources indicate the USS Momsen, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer has made visual contact with S/V Quest. Quest’s EPIRB was activated prior to the hijacking, alerting authorities to their position. No further word is available at this time, however communications between Momsen and Quest appear to be in progress.

http://gcaptain.com/momsen_quest_hi...er&utm_campaign=Feed:+Gcaptain+(gCaptain.com)
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That gcaptain has updated their site, they got and passed on BAD information.

"Sorry guys, but the news we got regarding the USS Momsen being at the scene of the hijacking was totally incorrect. The Momsen and her crew on homeward bound as I type this… Not sure how we got such backwards information, but as soon as we an update to this situation (from a better source this time), we’ll tell you."
 
I wish they had stayed in a convoy as well. And the fact that they were passing out bibles in that part of the world will not be taken lightly either, imo. I think that will be seen as a good excuse for their captors to be very hard on them. I wish they could be saved before they reach Somalia. Once they are ensconced there, it will cost a million as the starting bid.
 
I'm reminded of a story which was retold recently when J. Paul Getty's grandson passed away. Years ago when the younger Getty was kidnapped and ransom demanded, Mr. Getty refused to pay saying that he had 14 grandchildren and payment would put them all at higher risk. The next day, the younger Getty's ear arrived in a package. He paid.
 
i.b.nora said:
That gcaptain has updated their site, they got and passed on BAD information.

"Sorry guys, but the news we got regarding the USS Momsen being at the scene of the hijacking was totally incorrect. The Momsen and her crew on homeward bound as I type this… Not sure how we got such backwards information, but as soon as we an update to this situation (from a better source this time), we’ll tell you."
Click to expand...

That's too bad. I do think there was a chance someone would have been seriously injured if not killed during some sort of rescue mission, but I believe the benefits of trying to rescue them before they reach Somalia would have been worth the risks involved, IMHO.

I pray for their safety...
 
Breaking News
U.S. Navy Trails Former Newport Beach Couple's Yacht Believed to be Overtaken by Somali Pirates

A U.S. Navy warship and helicopters are trailing a yacht they believe has been taken over by Somali pirates and is owned by a Marina del Rey couple who purposely charted a course into waters known to be teeming with bandits of the sea.

Scott and Jean Adam, who once lived in Newport Beach and have used Orange Coast College sailing students as crew members in the past, are believed to be aboard their yacht with Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle of Seattle.

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2011/02/jean_scott_adam_somalia_pirate.php
 
Published: Feb. 19, 2011
Updated: Feb. 20, 2011 3:54 p.m.
Family hopeful for couple overtaken by Somali pirates

Family and friends of those aboard the yacht hijacked by Somali pirates Friday say they are hopeful the Southern California couple and others aboard will soon be safe.
Mark Savage, who lives on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, said he learned that the Navy has the yacht Quest in its sight but it could not be confirmed yet with Navy officials. The yacht and its passengers were taken hostage Friday and earlier Saturday, the government said it was assessing possible responses.

"If that's true, that is great news," he wrote in an e-mail to the Register.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/couple-289018-pirates-website.html
 
U.S. Considers Military Action to Free O.C. Couple Held by Pirates

The United States is considering military action to obtain the release of a former Newport Beach couple captured by Somali pirates this week, CNN reported today.

The Quest, owned by Jean and Scott Adam, was among a flotilla of yachts when it was seized this week about 270 miles off the coast of Oman in the Indian Ocean. The pair had been traveling the world distributing Bibles, according to the Adams' website svquest.com.

The U.S. military is prepared to intervene in the situation if necessary, Rear Adm. Charles Gaouette, deputy commander of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, told CNN.

According to CNN, another U.S. official, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the situation, said the United States is determining what military assets are in the region and the capabilities of the personnel onboard

http://sanjuancapistrano.patch.com/...tary-action-to-free-oc-couple-held-by-pirates
 
Mystic, thanks for posting those links. I've been searching for updates every 15 minutes or so, and I've seen those reports - I just wonder how you get 4 people off a sailboat without hurting someone, kwim? It's one thing for a sharpshooter to pick off pirates spread out over a large container ship, but it's a different story when they're all bunched up in the cockpit of a much smaller vessel like this sailboat, using a hostage as a shield, more than likely.

I hope they are able to stop them. They were supposed to have reached the Somali coast yesterday, and here it is Monday with no news. Actually, early early morning on Tuesday over there. I wish there was more of an update.

Prayers for their safety...
 
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