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Somali Pirates to World: You Brought This On Yourselves

If you're like me, you can't wait for the winter yachting season to begin, but before you don your monocle and climb aboard your megayacht, you'd better plot your sun-seeking itinerary carefully. Just last week, pirates kidnapped a British couple from their yacht, the Lynn Rival, as they sailed off the coast of Somalia. As the AP points out, Paul and Rachel Chandler had been sailing to Tanzania when they activated their yacht's emergency beacon on November 23, 2009, and the British navy found their empty yacht on Thursday.

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Pirate Problem No More; US Captain Headed Back Home Safely

While we were at home watching The Masters and overdosing on Peeps and chocolate bunnies, a dangerous hostage situation was unfolding but fortunately this one had a happy ending. Captain Richard Phillips was rescued from a group of Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia thanks to the incredible action of the US Navy.

The military hit the pirates with a surprise attack on Sunday, with snipers killing three of the buccaneers and taking one other pirate into custody. President Obama had issued the go ahead to use force if the captain was ever in "imminent danger," and apparently he was, as the pirates were holding an AK-47 to his back.

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Pirate Travel: Somali Bandits Still Sailing Weapons-Filled Tanker

Those spokesman-having, gun-toting pirates are still holding the MV Faina and its cargo of Ukrainian tanks captive off the coast of Somalia. So you might want to hold off on reserving a bed on that cruise setting sail for the tropical coast!

Believe it or not, Seabourn Cruise Line, a high-end division of Carnival, sailed its ships through the area until late 2005, when it narrowly escaped a pirate attack. Smaller vessels also ply the waters, sometimes coming under attack like larger ships.

Danger lurks for land-based travelers to Somalia as well. The State Department continues to warn against all travel to the war-torn country. But various travel guides offer a bit more leeway, recommending that the most adventurous of us stick to the northwestern part of the country. Too bad, because there's not much to see in Somaliland, while some of the world's most beautiful beaches lay beyond the relative zone of safety in the south.

Related Stories:
· Somali Pirates Say They Will Fight Raid [AP, via Google]
· Pirates Report Progress in Talks [AFP, via Google]
· African Pirates Kidnap Boating Family [Jaunted]

[Photo: Wikimedia]

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African Pirates Kidnap Boating Family

A German family was recently kidnapped aboard their yacht near Yemen by pirates who took them to the quasi-official Republic of Somaliland. A local man who described himself as an elder to the BBC told reporters that a mother, father and child had been captured and taken hostage in the mountains. The elder said he was doing his best to negotiate with the pirates.

Piracy is a major problem in the waterways surrounding the Horn of Africa, but it's usually freighters that come under attack. As for Somaliland, it's one of several disputed territories in Somalia. The area is plagued by lawlessness and has become a popular haven for pirates. Maybe soon it'll be the setting for the Hollywood blockbuster "Black Yacht Down."

Related Stories:
· Pirates "Seize Family off Yemen" [BBC]
· Dangerous Travel coverage [Jaunted]