Pirates last night attacked the Somme, the 157.2 metre long flagship of the French Indian Ocean naval force, mistaking it for a merchant ship.
The Somme photo credit: French navy
Admiral Christophe Prazuck, spokesman for the French armed forces chief of staff, said “the attack occured at about 1:00 a.m. local time some 250 nautical miles (460 kms) off the Somali coast while the Somme was sailing towards the ships of the Atalanta [European anti-piracy force] to refuel them.” He said “the pirates, mistaking the French military ship for a merchant ship in the dark, were on two boats and opened fire with Kalashnikovs.”
Doubtless surprised at the vigor of the responding fire they did a quick about turn but were chased by the French sailors. One of the two skiffs with five people aboard was stopped by the military but they found nothing aboard: no weapons, no food or drink as it was all thrown overboard. The second skiff got away. The five suspects are now aboard the Somme.
If this approach would be enforced it would make it a much harder job than today and possibly make them choose something else for living.
That, coupled with some help to restore real fishing activities while enforzing for them a somali fishing zone, could help revert the tide.
Compared to our cities it's like if police could not back fire to robbers but just chase them...
Lot of money for few results and neverending effort.
Do we have an exit strategy here or we enjoy the indian ocean?
It's all very fuzzy.
Yawn. (not at you, Christina)
Ghe- absolute waste of Naval budgets, IMHO. It's not a military mission, it's a counter-armed robbery/hijack security guard mission. So there are more cost-effective solutions to deter and neutralize these criminal actions, yes.
Marcase - sinking an armed, attacking skiff on international waters and in self-defence, is not a war crime, no. Nor is it an act of war, as it's self-defence against rogue, armed assailants. (However, it would be an act of war committed by the attacking skiff, if said attackers were officially representing the govt of Somalia). In such an unlikely event of unilateral Somali govt aggression on open seas, one could probably then be legally cleared to retaliate in some proportionate degree against the aggressor state.
So once shots are actually fired against a passing naval asset - even if within 12mi Territorial waters - it's really not that fuzzy.
"The territorial sea [12mi] is regarded as the sovereign territory of the state, although foreign ships (both military and civilian) are allowed innocent passage through it; this sovereignty also extends to the airspace over and seabed below." - UN Convention on the law of the Sea