December 2012 After nearly three years in captivity, the crew of the MV Iceberg I was finally freed after a heroic rescue from the Puntland Maritime Police Force. This security body, loyal to the semi-autonomous region of Somalia, Puntland, has been a key player in the internal battle against Somali pirates. Often referred to by their acronym, the […]
Don’t Pay the Pirates
A special Piracy Ransom Task Force based in the United Kingdom recently recommended that the shipping industry cease paying ransoms to pirates after they hijack ships. Since the piracy epidemic began in 2008, the task force estimates that over $300 million USD in ransoms has been paid to various groups of Somali pirates. These recommendations […]
The Forgotten Hostages
August 2012 The crew of the MV Iceberg 1 was hijacked in the spring of 2010, and to this day, the crew is still held captive. They have been seemingly forgotten by countries and other organizations, and are the longest-held maritime hostages in modern history. Completely abandoned by their irresponsible and profit-seeking shipping company, the situation […]
Attempted Hostage Rescue: Three Dead
December 16, 2012 Somali Maritime Police Force operators were involved in a shoot-out with pirates who had hijacked the MV Iceberg 1 when authorities attempted a rescue. The Iceberg was first captured by pirates in March 2010. The pirates had been attempting to ransom the hostages for over two years, keeping them separately at different […]