Piracy or Morris Dancing?

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stevefisher

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Kent Online (not renowned for fine journalism) has an article on a Grimaldi lines vessel in the Thames. The crew *may* be locked into 'a room' (later on it calls that Room 'The Bridge'). The owner says his crew this morning were being threatened with metal bars. Essex police say they are not treating it as terrorism, piracy or kidnapping. One wonders whether the crew have barricaded themselves on the Bridge to avoid aggressive ... morris dancers? https://www.kentonline.co.uk/thanet/news/stowaways-armed-with-metal-bars-on-cargo-ship-195824/
 
Yep. The SBS came and dealt with it. They have been arrested for immigration offences. Odd really, since they were arrested and brought to land not of their own volition. Attempting hijacking or even piracy would have been much more fun. The captain could have lashed them to the gratings, flogged them, and then keelhauled them for good measure. And I am sure the press would have loved it!
 
So I have some strange visions of a well known moderator dressed simultaneously as a pirate ,old English dancer and bishop when I read this title
Glad to hear it’s just illegal immigrants!
 
From Pinstripe: "People often see propaganda or even 'hegemonic discourse' where a far more rational and accurate explanation lies in journalistic news-values. This story fits with an existing off-the-shelf narrative of growing Russian threat, it speaks to a wider concern regarding funding, it allows them to use a few pretty pictures, it’s easy and cheap to tell, nobody is going to sue, and it’s click-bait. Interestingly, I would imagine the source of the story is the MoD, or one of its supporters, rattling a begging-bowl in the face of cuts to budgets. And yes, I do the media-expert-thing for a living".
 
I posted a link to that blog as it explains, quite simply, the outlines of tasking for the RN in home waters. It was to help you understand a bit about Patrol Vessels among other things and not using a sledgehammer to crack a four Nigerians on a ship nut.

Doesnt seem to have worked.......:rolleyes:
 
capnsensible said:
I posted a link to that blog as it explains, quite simply, the outlines of tasking for the RN in home waters. It was to help you understand a bit about Patrol Vessels among other things and not using a sledgehammer to crack a four Nigerians on a ship nut.

Doesnt seem to have worked.......:rolleyes:
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From the most recent posting of that rather good blog, I'm sorry (well not actually) that it doesn't fit the normal miserable tone of posting about the Government and Armed Forces on this forum:

Thin Pinstriped Line said:
Many Governments have deeply challenging silos, with Ministries not communicating well together, or proving able to operate effectively on the ground. This incident was a timely reminder of the strength of the UK system in getting the right people, empowered to take a decision, to work together at the same time. This should not be taken for granted, and many countries could not do this.

The effectiveness of this system was tested a second time overnight on Fri 21 Dec when the SBS reportedly boarded a merchant ship experiencing difficulties with stowaways onboard trying to take control. For obvious reasons much of the detail of the operation remains sketchy, but reports indicate the SBS fast roped onto the vessel from an RN Merlin helicopter before taking control of the vessel.

This incident again highlights the flexibility of the UK governments crisis management system, whereby in a very short space of time specialist assets were made available to the Civil Authorities to stage an intervention and resolve the situation.

It also highlights the ability of the UK to pull together a potentially high risk operation at very short notice, relying on a wide range of actors and organisations from the Police, Armed Force and wider Government agencies to plan and deliver this operation. No matter how low threat the situation may sound, conducting a boarding operation onto a vessel that has experienced problems is not easy. To conduct this operation effectively during the start of a leave period reminds us not only of the sheer number of military personnel on constant readiness to keep the UK safe, but also how capable they are at doing difficult jobs quickly.

As we enter the leave season and the end of the year, with readiness levels at probably their lowest ebb as the hardworking men and women of the MOD Civil Service and the Armed Forces, plus the wider national security community take well deserved leave, it is a timely reminder of their ability to quickly respond to two very diverse military challenges in under 24hrs while still meeting their normal operational duties.

Roughly 10% of the Naval Service are deployed this Christmas across the globe from Antarctica to the Caribbean to the Black Sea and Gulf through the Pacific Ocean. There is probably not an ocean on the planet this Christmas Day that will not see a White Ensign flying proudly. That is a remarkable accomplishment and one that only a tiny handful of nations can do at the best of times, let alone over Christmas.
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