CARAVOS HORIZON

scrapped

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Sold for scrapping

Arrived Chittagong

UK war ship Monmouth rescues crew

A New Zealand navy captain has come to the rescue of a crew attacked by pirates and locked in a citadel aboard their ship in the Southern Red Sea. Six armed men boarded the ship, a 63,000 tonne Greek-owned carrier, forcing its crew to hide in a secure compartment while the men ransacked the vessel. Responding to a distress call, Captain James Gilmour of the Combined Task Force sent the UK warship Monmouth and its Lynx helicopter to the ship's aid. Gilmour, of the Royal New Zealand Navy, is the commander of the joint task force, whose mission is to disrupt piracy and armed robbery at sea. It operates under the US-led Combined Maritime Forces, a 25-nation coalition, focusing on the Gulf of Aden, Southern Red Sean, Arabian Sea and Somali basin. As Gilmour coordinated the response, another New Zealander, Commander Mat Williams, spoke to the ship's master, informing him how events were unfolding outside the compartment and reassuring him that assistance was coming. The master could hear shots being fired while locked in the citadel. "Talking to the captain was a stark reminder of the human dimension of piracy and armed robbery in the region; he was scared, but very happy that help was on the way," Williams said. When the Monmouth arrived on scene, a team of Royal Marine Commandos, were sent on to the Greek vessel. It was established that while the intruders had ransacked parts of the vessel and caused some minor damage, they were no longer on-board, however. The boarding team was then able to free the crew from their refuge in the citadel and handed control of the vessel back to the master. Gilmour said he was pleased with the outcome of the incident. More at http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/africa/5448363/Kiwi-captain-takes-on-Somali-pirates

Photo report of attack

Report with photos: http://www.coastweek.com/3432_piracy_01.htm