Follow up on Antigua

From IBI News:

Antigua arrests
By IBI Magazine/Michael Howorth
Jolyon Menhinick of yacht brokerage company Archibald Reid & Co, whose offices are in Antigua, has told IBI that Antiguan police have arrested four people for questioning in the matter of the murder of Australian captain Drew Gollan, who was the master of the motorsailing yacht Perseus. The ages of those detained range from 17 years to 27 and one of those held is female. At this stage there is little other news.
(29 January 2009) http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20090029150548ibinews.html

Yacht Skipper Shot and Killed in Antigua

From Noonsite - http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2009-01-25-1/view

Yacht Skipper Shot and Killed in Antigua

Widely reported in the yachting and international press

A gunman shot and killed the Australian skipper of a yacht in Antigua on Thursday night, 22 January 2009.

The victim, Drew Gollan, Captain of the 163 foot sailing yacht "Perseus" (a Perini Navi ketch), was walking after dark on the road between English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour. He was shot in the chest at close range outside the Gallery Bar. A source on the island said that he was shot in front of his partner, Elena and young child.

Yachting World were told that Drew and Elena had hired a house on the road behind the Gallery Bar and were on their way home after dinner. An attacker tried to grab Elena's bag and a gun went off in the struggle, the bullet apparently grazing her foot. Drew chased after the attacker and in an ensuing struggle was shot twice in the chest.

Police Commissioner Thomas Bennett said that currently no arrests have been made.

There are many restaurants in this area usually heavily populated by the sailing community in the evenings. The shooting is reported to have outraged boaters, business owners and local residents and the police have again come under criticism for not protecting the yacht packed English Harbour area.

According to locals, the tragic death is just one more symptom of the increasing drug problem that the island has been battling recently.

The charter and holiday season is at its height in Antigua and this killing comes on top of a number of other attacks including a reported armed robbery at a club on the island and an attack on two hostesses from another yacht.

Yachts due to leave over the next few days have brought their departure plans forward and are on their way out of the island.

This killing has happened in the heart of the yachting community and is bound to have far reaching effects in an area which depends on the yachting trade.

Comment: I have not heard of the actual circumstances involved (i.e. is the drug problem involved? random violence?) As the economic conditions increase the disparity between poor and rich, more cruisers and yachtsmen will be targeted as "rich, easy" prey. Please practice sound situational awareness and take measures to make yourselves a "hard" target.

Noonsite Articles on Piracy

Horn of Africa Declared a War Zone
http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2009-01-22-4

Piracy Round-up for 2008 - a summary for the year
http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2009-01-21-9

Interesting Somali pirate article

I have been getting away from the commercial maritime security world, but found this article interesting. From the FeralJundi Blog - thanks.
http://feraljundi.com/2009/01/10/paracargo-3-million-paracargo-drop-for-saudi-tanker-somalia/

Interesting Revolver Article

I try not to get into the "Which is better" argument - I believe you should be able to use all the tools available for self protection. Please read and enjoy.

THE REVOLVER AS A CARRY WEAPON

http://www.snubnose.info/wordpress/concealed-carry/the-revolver-as-a-carry-weapon/

EPIRB Bulletin and AIS Information

http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2009-01-06-1/view

Beware! - Emergency Services Will Not Respond

From 1st February, 2009, the International Cospas-Sarsat Program will terminate satellite processing of distress signals from 121.5/243 MHz emergency beacons (EPIRBs and PLBs); only distress signals from the newer 406 MHz EPRIBs and PLBs will be processed.

The bottom line is that if you are still carrying one of the 121.5/243 MHz EPIRBs or PLBs in February, and you find you are in significant distress, requiring immediate rescue assistance, don't bother flicking the switch . . . instead you can make the last entry in your diary: that you should have given yourself a new, 406 for Christmas.

AIS Info

http://www.panbo.com/archives/2009/01/ais_2009_forward_in_all_directions.html

Somali Piracy Update

From IBI:

http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20090005111514ibinews.html

Somali piracy update

By IBI Magazine/Michael Howorth

New evidence in from Somalia makes it clear that the yacht attacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden on December 17 managed to evade capture and has arrived safely at the port of Salalah in Oman.

Speaking exclusively to IBI, Andrew Mwangura, who works for the Kenya-based East African Seafarers Assistance programme, told us that the yacht was carrying Yemeni coastguard officers who had been contracted on board as ship-riders. It was they who opened fire on an approaching skiff after radio-warnings transmitted by the yacht were not adhered to and the skiff continued to maintain a collision course even after the yacht had made several course adjustments.

The skiff eventually turned away after several shots were fired and did not return. The yacht was then able to disembark the guards at a Yemen border-port before proceeding undisturbed to her final destination. We are still not able to confirm with accuracy the name, size or nationality of the yacht, nor do we know how many crew were on board at the time of the attack.

Meanwhile, Mwangura tells us that negotiations for the release of several cargo ship crews taken hostage in the Gulf of Aden continue with debates on how the ransoms will be delivered. "There are two methods which have been approved by the pirates," he said. "The gunmen are demanding the money be dropped by air from a helicopter or plane in a balloon that will not sink, or for the ransom to be delivered by ship." Mwangura believes that delivery from the air is the most likely of methods to be used.

(5 January 2009)