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November 29, 2007
British Scare Off Pirates
ARABIAN SEA (NNS) -- British Navy warship HMS Campbeltown saved a civilian cruise liner from potential pirate attack while on coalition patrol in the Arabian Sea.
The Seabourn Spirit's call for help was taken at the Bahrain headquarters of Royal Navy and coalition operations in the Gulf, as the liner transited for Muscat, Oman. The crew had grown increasingly concerned about small skiffs believed to be pirates closing on their position.
Pirates are known to operate in the area - the Seabourn Spirit was attacked by armed criminals in nearby waters exactly two years ago. A number of vessels have been successfully hijacked in waters around the Somali coastline this year.
Over 120 nautical miles away Campbeltown's maritime attack Lynx helicopter was dispatched to the scene, armed with its machine gun to reassure the cruise liner, and if necessary intercept the pirates. By the time the helicopter had reached the liner the skiffs had disappeared.
Posted by Post Scripts at November 29, 2007 09:15 AM