Rim: No ransom paid? Crew retakes ship?

The MV Rim - which has a mainly Syrian crew of 10 - was hijacked in February by pirates who demanded $3m in ransom for their safe return.

Rim (IMO: 7328554)
Flag: Libya [LY]
Call Sign: HMVS5
IMO: 7328554, MMSI: 642146036
DWT: 4800
GT: 3493
Flag: Libya
Other names: RIMNICU VILCEA (1973-1998).

speed 7 kn

After it was captured, correspondents say that the pirates took the vessel to an area off the town of Laasgoray, on the border between Somalia's breakaway regions of Somaliland and Puntland.

The crew turned the tables on their captors as the ship was south-east of Garacad, off Somalia's northern coastline, Navfor said.

It said there had been "confusing reports" that the ship had been reboarded by pirates. But once a helicopter from the warship reached the scene of the incident, it was "quickly established that the crew were in control of the vessel".

"There were, however, pirates in the vicinity who were attempting to impede the EU operation," added the statement. more

NATO (SNMG2) frees Pirates

Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2)
HMS CHATHAM’s Lynx helicopter spotted a larger vessel towing the 2 attack boats, approximately 150 miles off the coast of Tanzania.
After monitoring the vessel through the night, at dawn, in a well planned operation, the pirates were forced to surrender by the overwhelming force posed by HMS CHATHAM, her Lynx helicopter and fast boats containing the Ship’s Royal Marine (RM) detachment. 10 Somalis were left with only enough fuel in the larger vessel to return to Somalia.


HMS Chatham is the last of four Type 22, Batch 3 frigates and was built on the Tyne by Swan Hunters Shipbuilders Ltd. She was launched in January 1988 by Lady Roni Oswald and commissioned into service in the Royal Navy in 1990.
Class and type: Type 22 frigate
Displacement: 5,300 tons
Length: 148.1 m (486 ft 9 in)
Beam: 14.8 m (48 ft 6 in)
Draught: 6.4 m (21 ft)
Propulsion: 2 × Rolls-Royce Spey gas turbines (high speed)
2 × Rolls Royce Tyne gas turbines (cruising)
2 shafts driving variable pitch propellers with COGAG (Combined gas and gas) gearbox, allowing all four engines to provide power to the drive train.
Speed: 18 knots (33 km/h) cruise
30 knots (56 km/h) maximum
Complement: 250 (max. 301)
Armament:

[2]

* 2 x Sea Wolf anti air system (Total of 72 Sea Wolf missiles)
* 2 × Quad Harpoon missile launchers (total of 8 Harpoons)
* 2 x triple Magazine launched anti-submarine torpedo tubes (total of 36 torpedoes)
* 1 x 4.5 inch (114 mm) Mk.8 gun
* 2 × 20 mm GAM-BO1 guns
* 2 x Goalkeeper CIWS
* NATO Seagnat Decoy Launchers

Aircraft carried:

2 x Lynx Mk.8 helicopters (but only 1 Lynx in peace time). Armed with

* 4 x Sea Skua anti-ships missiles
* 2 x Sting Ray anti-submarine torpedoes
* 2 x Mk 11 depth charges
* 2 x Machine guns

HNLMS Tromp (F803) catches, releases 20 pirates

A suspected pirate boat, which escaped yesterday the naval frigate. Hr. Ms. Tromp, this morning is still forced to stop.The helicopter warned the fleeing pirates with some shots to go. „ "We have shot three boxes of blank ammunition from the helicopter. The skiff tried to evade. Therefore, a warning shot fired in the 127 millimeter gun. This gives a huge bang and a beautiful water column. .” Very effective. "The detained pirates, 20 in all, some of whom were caught earlier, will be released with their boat near the Somali coast on March 19. The Dutch navy has to release the pirates because of the difficulties associated with putting them on trial.


Seven pirates escaped in the first instance, after the commander of the Tromp, sea captain Hans Lodder was no longer justified the pursuit in the dark to continue. When the naval frigate swept toward Somali coast , it came in its continuing quest upon the fleeing skiff. . This was detected by the radar at more than 9 nautical miles from the frigate,which then sailed with high speed.

The Lynx helicopter on board was launched, and the crew knew the vessel and its occupants on the basis of earlier pictures.On board were some barrels of gasoline, a ladder had been previously found not present in the boat. Where the helicopter and the frigate fired warning shots across the bow of the skiff the pirates knew it was time to stop.

They have taken on board and be held tomorrow when they will be released for the Somali pirate coast.
Tromp has last week during Operation Sweeping Broom already called 3 full pirate action groups located and rendered harmless. This action by Hr. Ms. Tromp challenges piracy in international waters and protects the merchant ships in waters off Somalia. The navy frigate is currently part of the EU operation Atalanta. Dutch from the Department of Defense, tranlated by Google with a minimum of editing.