Are ships armed against pirates?
Merchant ships now plying in high piracy affected areas such as Gulf of Aden (GOA) carry Armed Guards along with a series of non-lethal weaponry to thwart any kind of piracy attempt.
What action should the bridge command team take if pirates attack your vessel?
As pirates usually fire at the bridge first to stop the vessel, proper ballistic protection must be provided to the ship’s crew on the bridge during piracy attack. As usually seen, pirates try to board the ship using the lowest point above the waterline as it is easy for them to climb.
What is it called when pirates take over another ship?
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, while the dedicated ships that pirates use are called pirate ships.
Why can’t ships shoot at pirates?
Cargo ships don’t carry weapons because it is feared this would increase the likelihood of crew members getting killed or injured. First the crew sounded the alarm to the US navy and then disabled the boat’s engine before the pirates got control of the ship.
Can you shoot pirates in international waters?
Originally Answered: Is it allowed to kill pirates embarking your ship? Yes. Hostile non-state combatants are not covered by Geneva convention, and they can be treated like common criminals. Since oceans are international territory, the law of the vessel to be boarded is applied.
Who decides security level of ship?
3. Ship security officer. ISPS code requires company to appoint a ship security officer. The crew member appointed as SSO must have done the security training required as per STCW.
Which ships are not normally attacked by pirates are?
[3] Privateering uses similar methods to piracy, but the captain acts under orders of the state authorizing the capture of merchant ships belonging to an enemy nation, making it a legitimate form of war-like activity by non-state actors.
How did pirates punish people?
The ultimate form of punishment for captured and convicted pirates was to be hanged. They were often executed by hanging on a gibbet erected close to the low-water mark by the sea or a tidal section of a river. Their bodies would be left dangling until they had been submerged by the tide three times.
Why was choosing a target important to pirates?
Choosing the right target was important. Pirates targeted lone merchant ships that were full of products, meaning less space for arms. To find a ship alone, pirates would have to scout the less traveled sea lanes where merchant ships would go in search of the different and cheaper products.
How did pirates track down their prize ships?
Once the pirates had identified their prize ship, they would often take time to follow and track it, seeing how fast it was, how many crew it had etc. The kinds of ships targeted could be anything from a fishing boats to galleons to large merchant vessels.
What did pirates do with their prisoners?
What pirates did with their prisoners, depended from ship to ship. If the ship surrendered immediately, then bribes and bartering could take place and no one would be killed.
What would happen if a pirate raised a pirate flag?
Usually, once the merchant ship was in range of fire, the pirates would raise their real flag but it would be too late for escape. The pirates would surprise their prey and many ships would surrender just at the sight of the flag.