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British crewmen on tanker seized by pirates are named
Ed Harris19.11.08
TWO Britons held hostage by Somalian pirates on a supertanker were named today as the Government announced tougher action to police the high seas.
Downing Street demanded the "immediate release" of Peter French and James Grady identified as being among the 25 crew on the Sirius Star, now anchored off the Somalian port of Eyl.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband announced that the Royal Navy would be leading an EU defence group to "tackle the scourge of piracy in the Gulf of Aden".
No 10 also said that fresh legislation was being prepared to allow the Navy tougher powers to seize ships and arrest suspects in international waters.
The families of the two British crewmen said they hope the pair "will be home safely very soon". Mr French, from County Durham, and Mr Grady, from Strathclyde, were expected to be taken ashore in Somalia as the pirates split up the crew to make it more difficult to rescue them.
In a statement the families said they "greatly appreciate the concern that has been expressed by people throughout the UK and beyond, about Peter and James".
Mr Miliband said that from next month Britain will be leading the EU's foreign defence policy group "commanded by a Royal Navy ship which will provide the headquarters for the European operation".
The pirates on the Sirius Star, which is carrying a $100million cargo of oil, were today expected to demand a ransom of more than £6million.
Downing Street said Britain was closely involved in the international Nato mission to tackle piracy, with Royal Navy frigate HMS Cumberland patrolling the region. "We have ensured the Navy has the means and the authority to deter and disrupt acts of piracy," the Prime Minister's spokesman said. The Royal Navy last week apprehended pirates who tried to attack a Danish ship.
Negotiations between the 330-metre vessel's owners and the pirates were yet to open. Two more ships were hijacked in the area last night and the Indian navy foiled a third attempt in the Gulf of Aden.
Reader views (4)
I do agree that piracy is a horrendous crime, I do not think they should be able to get away with it but the comments about 'blowing then out of the water and leaving them to drown'. Where to start - it is the political situation, or lack of it, ashore that has created this; these people are poor, hungry and ill-educated; this has been allowed to escalate owing to lack to intervention by states not interested in the area; etc etc.
Convoys though are a good idea!
- K, Southampton, UK
The change since the international community last tackled piracy (China Coast 1930s ?) is that pirates will have acquired Human Rights. So, if a Royal Naval warship apprehends pirates and they claim that to put them ashore in a particular state would risk their not getting a fair trial and would therefore jeopardise their human rights, could they be put ashore against their will ? What happens if they claim asylum, would they be brought back to UK and housed by Camden Council ? To be joined later by their dependents. I suspect that no new legislation is needed to deal with pirates, just political will, something rather lacking in Downing Street these days.
- Peter Haldane, London
Why detain them... Sink them. This Ransom problem has gone too far. Good old Indian Navy.
- Mick Read, Peachland. Canada
It astounds me that pirates can exist in the modern era. The world needs to act. Group shipping into convoys protected by naval escorts equipped to detect and blow any pirate ships out of the water. And after pirate ships are blown up, do not rescue surviving pirates, leave them to drown. It will encourage the others.
- Nigel, London
