Pirate attack on the Balmoral

We have breaking news that the 715ft-long Balmoral operated by Fred Olsen experienced 4 separate attacks from Somali bandits according to reports from crew members. It is understood that approximately 1,300 Guests were on board for a round-the-world cruise, when it came under fire from Pirates armed with rocket launchers.

The Balmoral is a 43,000-ton cruise ship and was forced to desperate maneuvering (Zig-Zag style) in haste to evade its Pirate pursuers that chased the vessel in two small fishing type motor craft within the now well publicized ultra dangerous waters, off the Somalia coast, known as the Gulf of Aden.

We have learned indirectly from British Crew members that the Pirates actually came within 400 yards of the Balmoral as they circled their prey with AK-47 rifles and rocket launchers.
It appears that the Guests on board were in shock, panic and tears as they contemplated the worst case scenario of the imminent threat to their lives. 

The US Navy were apparently alerted. The initial alert was raised on Tuesday morning when the boats appeared out of nowhere and closed in rapidly. Alarmed by the suspicious activity of the unidentified craft, the Balmoral's crew made emergency calls, the Cruise Operator, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines stated earlier today. They also sent up distress flares and astonishingly the ship's staff resorted to make a show of strength with fake guns (made out of pieces of wood), in the seemingly desperate hope that the pirates would be deterred if crew appeared to be armed, according to reports.

The ship's 1,300 Guests, the vast majority of which being elderly British, were rounded up to a Muster station on a lower deck mid-ships into a perceived safer area, with a lower risk of being victim to Gunfire. The attack was eventually only averted by the intervention of a U.S. Navy ship which escorted the cruise vessel through the notoriously perilous Gulf of Aden. The incident occurred just over 2 weeks into the Guests’ 3 month long cruise, during navigation from Jordan towards India.

This stretch on unruly waters in the North Western Indian Ocean is now monitored by an international military task force, as Pirates have attacked more than 130 merchant ships and extorted approx. 150 million USD as ransom in the Gulf of Aden last year (double the previous year). 

Guests were warned that there may be a threat of attack and drills were carried out in advance. Nevertheless, no doubt Guests were of course shocked and panic sticken when they heard the Captain’s announcement, to go to the below deck, and this was NO drill! It does seem however that the officials on board handled the crisis in an orderly drilled manner.

The Balmoral world cruise left Dover on February 14 and despite the scare it is due to arrive tomorrow in Salalah, Oman. 

Our man Mike Hood will comment on the incident in due course.

Grant Holmes 
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