Filitsa: American helicopters watched ransom

100125-N-4236E-217 RED SEA (Jan. 25, 2010) An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Rampagers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 131 catapults off the flight deck of the Nimitz-Class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). Dwight D. Eisenhower is deployed as part of an on-going rotation of forward-deployed forces supporting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.

The helicopters were presumed to be American, because EU NAVFOR insisted they had no vessel nearby.

The Fortress Shipping Co. Marshall Islands-flagged Filitsa was en route to Mombasa, Kenya, where it and its crew were to be checked over, then was to continue to Durban, South Africa,

Marshall Island Filitsa: TARP money to Pirates?

With helicopters, presumably from a nearby warship belonging to an international anti-piracy naval mission, circling above, a ransom of between two and three million dollars was air-dropped on February 01 onto a Marshall Island-flagged Filitsa, whose Fortress Shipping Co., beneficial owner Fortress Investment Group, is a TARP recipient. The cargo ship captured by Somali pirates in November but the vessel was not immediately freed, pirates said.

The vessel is currently anchored near the pirate lair of Hobyo.

Pirates in the region explained that the gang holding the ship received the money and went back to shore but left another crew of pirates onboard to foil any retaliatory military action against the original hijackers.

"The ransom money was received this afternoon and the pirates who were holding the ship have left it," Abdi Yare, a pirate leader, said from the nearby coastal town of Harardhere."But they have left some colleagues on board to give them time to vanish with the money," he explained.

"The ship will be free once the money is properly secured but the security of those who received the ransom should be assured by their friends, who will stay onboard until sometime in the evening,"

Filitsa: Pirates meet the Politician

The beneficial owner of the vessel is Fortress Shipping Co. and hence Fortress Investment Group. In 2006 Fortress Investments paid John Edwards $479000 for part-time work as a consultant- John Edwards was then the former vice-presidential running mate of presidential candidate John Kerry. He went on to run against Barack Obama for President.
John met Rielle Hunter in early 2006 and that during this time John was in NYC primarily because he was under contract as a consultant with the Fortress Investment Group (the hedge fund which the Edwards have invested a large portion of their wealth). Fortress‘ headquarters (1345 6th Ave)is only a few short blocks from the Regency Hotel (540 Park Ave). This relationship ended his presidential hopes.

M/V FILITSA (Marshall Islands) 23,709 dwt Bulk Carrier

A merchant vessel reported a distress call 111737Z 9 November at position 0.35 S/062.40E (approximately 490 nautical miles northeast of Seychelles). At 110206Z, UKMTO reported that M/V FILITSA (Marshall Islands) was assessed hijacked 513 nautical miles NE of Seychelles. UKMTO contacted the owner at 110400Z who had reached the ship. All that was said was “Somali, Somali.” CTF-151 is assessing with high probability the ship has been pirated. Verbal information received from the CSO of the owners indicates the pirates are already onboard and all communication with the vessel has ceased. It is suspected the pirates are in control of the vessel. There are 22 crew members onboard.