Great news off the Horn of Africa:
ROME — An Italian cruise ship with 1,500 people on board fended off a pirate attack far off the coast of Somalia when its Israeli private security forces exchanged fire with the bandits and drove them away, the commander said Sunday.
Cmdr. Ciro Pinto told Italian state radio that six men in a small white speed boat approached the Msc Melody and opened fire Saturday night, but retreated after the Israeli security officers aboard the cruise ship returned fire.
I like the way they roll! Looks like one cruise line isn’t shy of a fight. “Pinto said the pirates fired with automatic weapons, slightly damaging the liner, and tried to put a ladder on board. But he said they were unable to climb aboard. The commander said his security forces opened fire with pistols, and the ANSA news agency said the pistols had been kept in a safe under the joint control of the commander and security chief.”
That’s my only point of tactical criticism– you have to arm them properly; pistols cut the corned beef today, but tomorrow, who knows. Long guns give them stand-off, and knock-down power. Either way, it looks like our kosher condottieri kept their cool and did a fine job. Good work boys! Shtick it to ‘em!
Go Israel
Ahoy vey!
(sorry)
That’s awesome. When I was in Israel back in ’03, a lot of the kids I met who had just mustered out were down in Eilat getting certification for private yacht crews so they could work in the Med. Jobs were sparse, but it looks like a few of these guys got entrepreneurial and put their skills to good use.
My father was Brit merchant navy back in the ’50s & ’60s. I’m told that in those days, it was common for British merchantmen to carry a small number of firearms on board, both for pirates or other security hassles. A couple of ships dad served on had a couple of old revolvers in the captain’s safe, and a few Lee-Enfield 303s locked up somewhere below decks.
In those days half of the crew were WW2 convoy veterans of course, so firearms weren’t as strange to the crew as they probably are now. And don’t even get me started on how hard it is for Brit or Aussie citizens of good standing to own firearms nowadays…
Anyway, it would have been harder to pick on a Brit merchantmen fifty years ago. Interesting how things have changed.
BR LtCol P,
With just a little more effort, I am sure you could have turned your title rhyme into a palindrome.
Something like, “Lewd did I live; evil I did dwel”? :-)
Contacting Crew Members Cruise Trip
Beach lovers can relish in the sun and grit of Coz