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Somali Pirates

edited October 2009 in Not Sports Related
Looks like the Tunbridge Wells couple are up Sh** Creek! $7m ransom!

Have to say got limited sympathy. More than a bit stupid putting yourself in that situation. Feel really sorry for their family back home.
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Comments

  • [cite]Posted By: Chaz Hill[/cite]Looks like the Tunbridge Wells couple are up Sh** Creek! $7m ransom!

    Have to say got limited sympathy. More than a bit stupid putting yourself in that situation. Feel really sorry for their family back home.

    WTF?????
  • The letters I, K, C and D come to mind and not in that order!
  • I know, fancy retiring after a life of work and trying to enjoy the fruits of your labour by buying a little sailing boat and going travelling.....Idiots.

    I think i'll stay indoors for the rest of my life. Woyldn't wanna put myself in the situation where i could get robbed, i'd only have myself to blame.
  • Interesting observations guys!

    There are things you do and things you don't. Especially when you have been warned of the dangers.
  • Send Ross Kemp......he'll save the day.
  • edited October 2009
    [cite]Posted By: Chaz Hill[/cite]Interesting observations guys!

    There are things you do and things you don't. Especially when you have been warned of the dangers.

    The world is full of 'dangers' it always was and always will be...but that shouldn't stop mankind in general from going out there and enjoying the precious few years we have on earth....within reason that is.
    There are some places far more dangerous than others, the chances of what has happened to them were statisticly very remote(though I agree possible)...there are hundreds of private vessels going in and out of that area every day of the week.
    They have been most unfortunate and have my sympathy....a lovely dream shattered by bunch of scum bags.
  • [cite]Posted By: SoundAsa£[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: Chaz Hill[/cite]Interesting observations guys!

    There are things you do and things you don't. Especially when you have been warned of the dangers.

    The world is full of 'dangers' it always was and always will be...but that shouldn't stop mankind in general from going out there and enjoying the precious few years we have on earth....within reason that is.
    There are some places far more dangerous than others, the chances of what has happened to them were statisticly very remote(though I agree possible)...there are hundreds of private vessels going in and out of that area every day of the week.
    They have been most unfortunate and have my sympathy....a lovely dream shattered by bunch of scum bags.

    Agree entirely with your sentiments but - as I understand it - they were specifically warned that there were pirates operating in the area before they set off on that leg of their voyage.
  • Just like American tourists were warned in the recent past that terrorists were operating in London or us being told by The Foreign Office that travelling to Indonesia should only be for essential reasons....I went there on business at least a dozen times after they issued that advice and never got the slightest sniff of trouble.
    I mean to say, come on Chaz...life simply 'has' to go on.
  • And if you got warned not to stick your hand into a fire as you might get burnt,would you do it anyway because life is for living?
  • But this was local information on the day they set off. Agree it was their choice but who now pays the consequences. The family back at home wondering where to get $7m!
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  • edited October 2009
    [cite]Posted By: tommo[/cite]And if you got warned not to stick your hand into a fire as you might get burnt,would you do it anyway because life is for living?

    Are we supposed to take that statement seriously......how strange.You don't put your hand in an electric fire because you KNOW you'll get burned....no if's or but's.
    They wern't told NOT to go into those waters only advised that there are pirates operating in that area and that they could possibly run into danger...totally different scenario.
    And anyway, I live in Bromley and have got underfloor heating.
  • Chaz...maybe because the situation is in the media so much that it makes people believe that the situation is worse than it is. As soundasa£ said, it's a very busy shipping area for business and private sailors and the chances of being taken by pirates, especially private sailing boats and not the commercial ships is small. Infact it's because it's mostly commercial ships involving lots of money involved that we hear about it so much.
    Same thing goes on around Thailand, Cambodia etc it's just not reported as widely so no 0ne would tell anyone not to sail around the Asian coast.

    You can't just not do what you want because there is slight chance something will go wrong. That's life and the couple have just been unlucky. I wish them and their family all the best and hope that when it is resolved their confident enough to carry on with their travels.
  • edited October 2009
    [cite]Posted By: DRAddick[/cite]Chaz...maybe because the situation is in the media so much that it makes people believe that the situation is worse than it is. As soundasa£ said, it's a very busy shipping area for business and private sailors and the chances of being taken by pirates, especially private sailing boats and not the commercial ships is small. Infact it's because it's mostly commercial ships involving lots of money involved that we hear about it so much.
    Same thing goes on around Thailand, Cambodia etc it's just not reported as widely so no 0ne would tell anyone not to sail around the Asian coast.

    You can't just not do what you want because there is slight chance something will go wrong. That's life and the couple have just been unlucky. I wish them and their family all the best and hope that when it is resolved their confident enough to carry on with their travels.


    Well DR, not a risk I would have taken especially after the incident with the French yacht a few months back. And this from someone who used to go to away matches at the old Den in the 70's :-)
  • When I was a kid, I was warned to look both ways before I crossed the road.
    They told me people get injured and killed on the roads, and roads are very dangerous places.

    But I still crossed the road, because I needed to get to the other side.

    Likewise this unfortunate couple. They had 2 choices:
    1) Abandon they dream and go home.
    2) Heed the information, continue on the next leg but understanding that it was statistically unlikely that an incident would occur.

    A bit like crossing the road, perhaps?


    Every day in our lives, each one of us takes risks ...... but more often they don't work against us.
    You have to Dare to Dream, life is for living, etc and you sometimes just have to go ahead and do what you have to do.


    I can only trust that this unfortunate couple get home safely.
  • Exactly Oggy, shit happens.
  • Nothing like crossing the road. People take risks in life either because: they have to, they are pissed, or on drugs.

    This pair were warned, and did not have to continue their journey. Same as those idiots who insist on swanning around in terrorist ridden countries and then wonder why they get taken. And then we get the "I didnt think it would happen to me"....

    Nevertheless I hope they get back safely...........
  • The risk though has been principally to commercial shipping - and small boats have not been taken.
    An element of risk - but it's hardly a war zone.


    Working at Victoria railway station during the 80's during the IRA bombing campaign was risky - it certainly was when my office windows shattered when the Chelsea Barracks bomb exploded, and shards of glass were raining down on me.

    We'd had months of bomb warnings, scares and false alarms, but I still went to work there every day.
  • Living is a risk - if you don't take the risk - you ain't lived !!
  • edited October 2009
    The risk has been to all shipping. And the need to put warships in those areas suggests to me that it is very much a war zone.

    I worked in whitehall during the same period and through the same threat. I went to work cos I had to pay the bills - I had to balance the risk with the need.

    In my view this couple have been f**kwits, but as I have said I hope that it all ends well.
  • [cite]Posted By: Chaz Hill[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: DRAddick[/cite]Chaz...maybe because the situation is in the media so much that it makes people believe that the situation is worse than it is. As soundasa£ said, it's a very busy shipping area for business and private sailors and the chances of being taken by pirates, especially private sailing boats and not the commercial ships is small. Infact it's because it's mostly commercial ships involving lots of money involved that we hear about it so much.
    Same thing goes on around Thailand, Cambodia etc it's just not reported as widely so no 0ne would tell anyone not to sail around the Asian coast.

    You can't just not do what you want because there is slight chance something will go wrong. That's life and the couple have just been unlucky. I wish them and their family all the best and hope that when it is resolved their confident enough to carry on with their travels.


    Well DR, not a risk I would have taken especially after the incident with the French yacht a few months back. And this from someone who used to go to away matches at the old Den in the 70's :-)

    Exactly mate, a few months back, how many similar incidents have you heard of since? The last westerners yacht seized i heard of was about a month ago. Thousands of boats have travelled those waters during that time with nothing happening. In the grand scheme of things it's rare.

    Maybe you're confusing your emotions. As someone who went to the Old Den then maybe you actually think sailing around Somalia isn't dangerous enough for you and that's why you wouldn't do it? :-)
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  • Small vessels getting attacked don't really make for juicy news clips in the Daily Mail though they are much more common than you would think.A Tonbridge couple getting taken is another thing. Just because you don't read about it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

    Linkety Link

    Hope they reasume their travels safely soon.
  • [cite]Posted By: tommo[/cite]Small vessels getting attacked don't really make for juicy news clips in the Daily Mail though they are much more common than you would think.A Tonbridge couple getting taken is another thing. Just because you don't read about it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

    Linkety Link

    Hope they reasume their travels safely soon.

    Interesting link Tommo, cheers
  • [cite]Posted By: DRAddick[/cite][quote

    Maybe you're confusing your emotions. As someone who went to the Old Den then maybe you actually think sailing around Somalia isn't dangerous enough for you and that's why you wouldn't do it? :-)

    LOL, you could be right DR.

    Link on Tommo's latest post is interesting though!
  • It is an interesting link but it depends what perspective you look at it from. To me still basically saying that it's a rare occurance. It's general information with no real stats to back it up. Even admits that in some of the areas they're warning of there's never been any reports of attacks, it's just a precaution.

    I suppose it depends on your outlooks on life and travel. I've personally felt safer walking alone through poverty stricken backstreets in cambodia at 2am than i sometimes do walking through London in the evening.

    Anyway, hopefully this will come to a succesfull ending, that's the only important thing.
  • [cite]Posted By: DRAddick[/cite]It is an interesting link but it depends what perspective you look at it from. To me still basically saying that it's a rare occurance. It's general information with no real stats to back it up. Even admits that in some of the areas they're warning of there's never been any reports of attacks, it's just a precaution.

    I suppose it depends on your outlooks on life and travel. I've personally felt safer walking alone through poverty stricken backstreets in cambodia at 2am than i sometimes do walking through London in the evening.

    Anyway, hopefully this will come to a succesfull ending, that's the only important thing.

    Exactly DRAddick, people on the same trip in Kenya asked how I had the nerve to go out onto the streets of Nairobi so they went for the safer option & stayed in the hotel. Similarly in Johannesberg & Cape Town I ventured into the townships (escorted admittedly) whilst others chose the safer option, needless to say I felt I had gained more out of the trips than they all had. As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
  • [cite]Posted By: Sam lloyd[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: DRAddick[/cite]It is an interesting link but it depends what perspective you look at it from. To me still basically saying that it's a rare occurance. It's general information with no real stats to back it up. Even admits that in some of the areas they're warning of there's never been any reports of attacks, it's just a precaution.

    I suppose it depends on your outlooks on life and travel. I've personally felt safer walking alone through poverty stricken backstreets in cambodia at 2am than i sometimes do walking through London in the evening.

    Anyway, hopefully this will come to a succesfull ending, that's the only important thing.

    Exactly DRAddick, people on the same trip in Kenya asked how I had the nerve to go out onto the streets of Nairobi so they went for the safer option & stayed in the hotel. Similarly in Johannesberg & Cape Town I ventured into the townships (escorted admittedly) whilst others chose the safer option, needless to say I felt I had gained more out of the trips than they all had. As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

    And that's fair enough - but don't say "woe is me" if on your next venture you get separated from your wallet.
  • [cite]Posted By: 1905[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: Sam lloyd[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: DRAddick[/cite]It is an interesting link but it depends what perspective you look at it from. To me still basically saying that it's a rare occurance. It's general information with no real stats to back it up. Even admits that in some of the areas they're warning of there's never been any reports of attacks, it's just a precaution.

    I suppose it depends on your outlooks on life and travel. I've personally felt safer walking alone through poverty stricken backstreets in cambodia at 2am than i sometimes do walking through London in the evening.

    Anyway, hopefully this will come to a succesfull ending, that's the only important thing.

    Exactly DRAddick, people on the same trip in Kenya asked how I had the nerve to go out onto the streets of Nairobi so they went for the safer option & stayed in the hotel. Similarly in Johannesberg & Cape Town I ventured into the townships (escorted admittedly) whilst others chose the safer option, needless to say I felt I had gained more out of the trips than they all had. As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

    And that's fair enough - but don't say "woe is me" if on your next venture you get separated from your wallet.

    Like the Queen - I don't carry my purse with me 1905 (especially on the London Underground)
  • Now the London Underground can be a high risk area.
  • [cite]Posted By: Oggy Red[/cite]Now the London Underground can be a high risk area.
    It can indeed. About a year ago now I was stood on a tube train next to a clueless tourist who was about to get dipped. I (ahem) 'inserted' myself between her and the two Romanian gippos who were attempting the thieving - who then spent the distance between Green Park and Victoria trying to push me out the way without making it look obvious what they were doing. When we reached the station and the doors opened, they gave me a filthy look and I said 'unlucky fellas' as the woman got off... still completely unaware of what had almost happened.
  • Sailing a boat in pirate infested waters is something I will never never do.
    I get sea sick on a wet lawn.
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