According to icc-ccs.org, here’s where we stand in terms of piracy on the open seas off the coast of Somalia, as of March 1 . . .
Incidents Reported for Somalia:
Total Incidents: 61
Total Hijackings:13
Total Hostages: 243
Total Killed: 7
Current vessels held by Somali pirates:
Vessels: 33
Hostages: 711
And yet, if you scan the official advice governments are giving Captains sailing merchant vessels through pirate-infested Indian Ocean waters, there’s no mention whatsoever of using firearms, missile or big ass machine guns for self-defence. According to palmbeachpost.com . . .
Everyone from boating bloggers to government agencies is [sic] offering advice on how to avoid an attack. The International Maritime Bureau has put out a 76-page document advising vessels about travel near the Somali coast and the Arabian Sea. High on the list is not to use firearms.
Of course, the private boaters aren’t about to listen to some Internet nerd or stuffy maritime quango when their lives are on the line. Over at superyachts.com, we learn that the captains of industry are taking fewer chances with their security:
Another method of deterrence is to hire contract security companies who can provide expert surveillance methods, also offering to engage or suppress pirate attacks. Mr. Gibbon-Brooks stated “even though they have advanced kit, it is still very hard to determine a good guy from a bad guy. The skiffs they use resemble fishing skiffs and if security companies fire on the wrong people the owner is most likely liable for the contractor’s action” A pirate was killed by a contracted security official for the first time this year, and although pirates never usually harm crew, it could bring about an increase in violence if both attacker and ship are armed.
Surveillance and defence technology is readily available to ensure safety. Nobiskrug [above] have recently released their Mega Yacht Defence System, offering a significant increase in onboard security using state of the art technology which is scalable to the owners needs. The equipment holds continuous surveillance, automatic alarms, effective defence management and secure communications to name a few.
Our friends at the Huffington Post reveal that big boys have plenty of toys with which to defend their really big toys.
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich boasts not only the world’s largest plane (the ‘Bandit‘), but also the world’s biggest yacht: a 557-foot mega-boat called the Eclipse, which recently set sail from Hamburg, Germany.
The luxury liner has more than a few high-tech amenities, including bullet-proof glass, a missile defense system, a submarine, and an anti-paparazzi laser shield.
So, the question to you: how would you equip your mega-yacht to defend against pirates? Please include all personal and staff firearms.