Italian Cruise Ship Fights Off Somali Pirates With Gunfire

[babylonsister]

Italian Cruise Ship Fights Off Pirates With Gunfire


NICOLE WINFIELD | April 26, 2009 12:21 PM EST | AP


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.

Six men in a small, white Zodiac-type boat approached the Msc Melody at about 1730 GMT Saturday and opened fire with automatic weapons, Msc Cruises director Domenico Pellegrino said. They retreated after the security officers returned fire and sprayed them with water hoses. The ship continued its journey with its windows darkened.

"It felt like we were in war," the ships commander, Ciro Pinto, told Italian state radio.

None of the roughly 1,000 passengers and 500 crew members was hurt, Pellegrino said. The passengers were asked to return to their cabins and the external lights on board turned off.

Pellegrino said all Msc cruise ships around the world are staffed with Israeli security agents because they are the best trained.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/26/italian-cruise-ship-fight_n_191498.html

[rollingrock]

1. What is a cruise ship loaded with passengers doing there?

are they asking for trouble?

[NeedleCast]

8. Exactly

I think a pleasure cruise through Somali waters would be at about the same position as sight seeing in western Pakistan on my vacation spots list.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

9. The reports say that they were well away from shore and other reports

The pirates are using mother ships and going farther and farther out in search of prey.

[Wwagsthedog]

2. Why aren't all ships in the area staffed with armed security?

Of course this is a rhetorical question. Cheapskates abound!

[Fumesucker]

6. There are less obvious reasons..

Armed ships are not welcome in all ports for one thing.

[supernova]

3. Mafia vs Pirates?

:popcorn:

And I echo, what was a cruise ship doing off the coast of Somalia?

[safeinOhio]

4. Some great deals going on now.

[rollingrock]

5. It kind of makes me wonder

if they are not trying to manufacture an incident?


(and giving Italy grounds to go back and retake their old colony).


:tinfoilhat:

[conspirator]

7. Ma que cosa. no capisco nt