When Navies Fire Back – Top Photos of Pirate Skiff Destruction

There’s nothing we enjoy more than waking up on a Monday morning and hearing about a Pirate Action Group (PAG) being “disabled” by one of the many navies patrolling off the coast of Somalia.  That’s why this morning we’ve went ahead and compiled the best photos of “disabled” skiffs, or more bluntly, pirate skiffs being completely blown out of the water.

So without further ado, here are the top Pirate Skiff Destruction Photos:

1. HNLMS Tromp

On March 14, 2010, EUNAVFOR warship HNLMS TROMP intercepted a suspected PAG after the group attempted to hijack MV E.R. LUBECK. After finding pirate paraphernalia on board the suspected vessel, the mother ship was destroyed.

2. USS Farragut

On March 31, 2010, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS FARRAGUT (DDG 99) destroyed a pirate mother ship after respoding to reports of an unsuccessful attack on the tanker, M/V EVITA, northwest of the Seychelles.

3.  USS Ashland

On April 10, 2010, the amphibious dock landing ship USS ASHLAND (LSD 48) destroyed a pirate skiff after being fired upon by suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden, approximately 330 nautical miles off the coast of Djibouti.

For good fun, here’s another look at the skiff burning.  The stupidity of these pirates actually firing upon a U.S. Navy destroyer is beyond comprehension.

The pirates were captured eventually sentenced to life in prison in the United States.

4. USS Lake Champlain

On the evening of March 14, 2011, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) warship USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CG 57), assigned to CMF’s counter-piracy mission Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, successfully disrupted a PAG by destroying the groups two skiffs.

Captain Mark Johnson, commanding officer of Lake Champlain said of the operation: “This disruption to suspected pirate activity is a small but significant step in sending the message that we are here as a credible and capable force, and that we have the resolve to deal with this issue.”

5. HMAS Stuart

About a week later on March 22, 2011, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) warship HMAS STUART (FFH 153) also assigned to CMF’s counter-piracy mission Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, badly damaged a skiff, successfully disrupting the activities of a group suspected of being involved in acts of attempted piracy.  Way to go Australian Navy!

6. ESPS Canarias

On March 28, 2011 the EUNAVFOR Spanish warship ESPS CANARIAS disrupted a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG) 260 Nautical Miles North-West of the Seychelles.  The pirates in this group were captured and have been sent to Seychelles for prosecution.

7. FGS Koeln

The video below shows a German helicopter dispatched from the FGS KOELN shooting up a skiff off Somalia in September.  No persons were on board at the time, however it was visibly laden with piracy-related equipment which prompted it’s destruction at the eager hands of the German Navy.

The KOELN, a European Naval Forces (EUNAVFOR) warship, was operating about 100 miles south of Mogadishu.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzSphdtgQeQ&feature=player_embedded

Here’s a look at the aftermath.

8. FGS Koeln (Again!)

Again on October 7, 2011, EU NAVFOR warship FGS KOELN successfully disrupted a suspect Pirate Action Group’s (PAG) supply boat, a whaler, operating in the Somali Basin about 200 nautical miles East of Tanzania.

The whaler had been located previously by a Norwegian Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) under control of NATO Task Force 508, Operation Ocean Shield, which is also engaged in counter piracy operations.

We wish we had more to show you!  Keep it coming Navies of the world!

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