Taking pirates prisoners
…will put an end to the doubts raised about the efficacy of Indian naval operations in the Gulf of Aden.
It wasn’t perfect the first time around. When the INS Tabar claimed to have sunk a pirate mother vessel in Indian Ocean off the Somalian coast, it later turned out to be a Thai fishing trawler that had been seized by pirates off Yemen.
So the INS Mysore decided to do one better this time. It challenged the pirates’ boat in the Gulf of Aden and–
The dhow was boarded at 1230h by the ship’s Marine Commandos and a search carried out. 23 personnel (12 Somali and 11 Yemeni) surrendered on boarding. The search of dhow revealed a substantial cache of arms and equipment, including seven AK-47 and three other automatic rifles, along with thirteen loaded magazines; a rocket-propelled grenade-launcher along with rockets, cartridges and grenades; as many as three Outboard Motors (OBMs), a GPS Receiver, etcetera.
What is the Indian Navy going to do with these pirates now? The official press release is cryptic in its legalese.
The personnel, arms, ammunition and equipment have been taken into custody by INS Mysore and will be handed over to appropriate authorities ashore and the ship will return to her patrol-duties.
Appropriate authorities ashore. Ahem…
Update [15/12]: The Hindu reports –
The Navy is saddled with two-dozen pirates it captured in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday with no country willing to take them into custody till reports last came in. …The consensus that emerged was that there was no enabling provision in the international law to deal with a situation where pirates are arrested in the international waters.
Damn if i do, damn if i don’t.
Both the situations, regarding INS Tabar and INS Mysore are first time things for the Navy. I would put it as a learning experience. First time around, when the ship at the scene of action took an action in self defence (that is what I would call it), Navy was almost lynched by our very own sensation loving media, who thought it was wiser to believe mr. Thai businessman rather than their own people.
INS Mysore has been able to take a different approach because It was only after sighting the Naval helicopter that pirates abandoned their bid to board Gibe. Who knows, in hindsight, if the ship had encountered the dhow Salahauddin initially without the call from Gibe; and the dhow had threatened the ship, what would have been the result!
I feel once a man-of-war at the scene of action has been given the liberty to do what it knows how to do, it must be left to act as per prevailing circumstances rather than react to the actions without complete knowledge of circumstances and castigate the actions.
Just an offshoot.
The mumbai attackers also came in a hijacked fishing trawler (MV Kuber)and it is said that the coast guard and Navy failed to check it.
If they had sunk this trawler, then the media could have put up the claims of the owner of MV Kuber as well.
Three Cheers to Indian Navy!
What is the Indian Navy going to do with these pirates now?
How about grilled Somalis with Yemenis sauce for dinner tonight?
The bold action by INS Tabar was no doubt playing in the minds of the pirates when they surrenderred to INS Mysore. Goes to show that once you show the will to use force, the adversary will be wary next time. Kudos to both ships.
Handing over of pirates is a big international law lacuna. They are to be handed over to the ‘coastal state’. what does that mean in this situation? hand them to somalia? Kenya had previously accepted pirates captured by HMS Cumberland, so that is an option. What action can be taken against them? Under whose sovereign laws?? In all probability, they will escape with minimal punishment/imprisonment. But certainly these are uncharted waters as far as international law is concerned.
@ Veeru
Are you gonna offer some whiskey too?
Three Cheers Indian Navy (hic) ! ….
dear sir, i definitely know of no statues erected in honour of critics. As one of the commentators says “damn if they do & damn if they don’t”. let us be appreciative of at least some action being taken by one of the organs of sovereign Indian against international terrorism. BUCK UP INDIAN NAVY.