Friday, February 5, 2010

Danish Navy Rescues Hijacked Crew

The Danish Navy came to the rescue of a hijacked ship's crew - see here: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,584932,00.html?test=latestnews. Danish naval forces boarded the ship and freed the crew and they tout it is some amazing feat although if you read the linked article closely you will probably be of the same opinion as my own - there were no pirates aboard at the time. You see, the article goes on to state that a Russian naval vessel sent forces to board a skiff on which the pirates were apparently making a get away. Oh well, we have to remember this is the Danish Navy giving the story!

Along the lines of possible further embellishment consider that the Danes are also claiming this was the first time that naval forces have ever been sent in to perform a rescue during a hijacking. Are they kidding or are they just splitting hairs? I seem to remember this from recent history: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/04/12/somalia.pirates/. I have to hand it to whoever wrote the article because they point out both the one I just mentioned and another:
"French commandos stormed a yacht last April with five hostages on board but one, skipper Florent Lemacon, was killed during the operation. American snipers also shot dead three pirates in April 2009 holding an American captain hostage on board a lifeboat after the crew of the Maersk Alabama had persuaded the pirates to leave the main ship."

All the best,
Glenn B

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