Piracy report - Venezuela

[Roberto]

Three Italian men were sailing on a charter catamaran from Tobago, bound to Caracas where they were supposed to take the plane back to Italy on Feb 3rd.

On Jan 28th while they sail at roughly 30nm from Los Testigos, 60nm from the continent, a 10m launch (so called "penero") with two powerful outboard engines approaches with 7/8 men aboard.

Automatic rifle shots are fired from the approaching launch, supposedly to intimidate the catamaran crew, one shot hits one person aboard on the head, he almost immediately dies.

The launch crew boards the catamaran and steals money and valuables from the two remaining crew; they leave afterwards.

Distress calls were made from the catamaran but none were acknowledged by local authorities. The boat eventually reached Port La Mar where the facts were made known to local police.


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[Vasco]

Can you tell me where did this report come from?

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[Roberto]

it was reported by most italian media these days

try

http://www.bolina.it/nuovo_sito/news/news.php?idnews=104

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[Roberto]

there is a mention in www.noonsite.com too, although it states that the person was killed after the armed men boarded the vessel

I do not know which of the two versions is more accurate



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[Vasco]

I guess it doesn't really matter if the man was killed before or after they boarded , the fact is that it happened again.
This pisses me off because not only I have been chased myself but have places that I loved ( ie, Los Testigos ) that because of those bastards now I would have second thoughts before returning to.
I don't know , some kind of "pirate task force " should be created to clean the waters .It has been done before

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[Roberto]

yes it is very sad

was just wondering if it had been a fatal mistake in the pirate intimidation attempt, or if maybe a reaction from the man when they were aboard had tragically ended in a sort of capital punishment for him

again, whatever, it is very sad



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[Anonymous]

I can see a possible defence. Suppose a company advertises video security systems designed to send, via satellite link, full video, audio and alarm information when vessels equipped are under attack, then any vessel appearing to be equipped would be safer. Maybe a small radome and a distinctive camera pod? Not everyone would need to carry a live unit; some could be dummies. Actually a live unit would cost peanuts for anyone with an Iridium or similar system but its value would be in deterrence.

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[HaraldS]

Very sad indeed. That's where I planned to be pretty exactly a year from now, en-route to Panama. Seems we need to think about the route again.

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[Vasco]

gadgets will never answer . Don't forget that most "pirates" are poor miserable illiterate bastards who could't tell a radome or a camera pod from a barbecue box. Just something else to steal.On the other hand , they DO recognize well a full crew and can tell an AK47 from a distance. The thing is , they will most likely have MORE guns than you. And more men.

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[Anonymous]

I don't claim any knowledge of the subject, but going back to the report at the start of this thread....

"On Jan 28th while they sail at roughly 30nm from Los Testigos, 60nm from the continent, a 10m launch (so called "penero") with two powerful outboard engines approaches with 7/8 men aboard."

Surely these people were technically literate enough to use a GPS and they must watch US movies. Everyone watches US movies.


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[Vasco]

the first time you spot a penero with a GPS I'll give you a prize of your choice. You can go for hundreds of miles offshore ( I feel strange stating the obvious here but people tend to forget....) without GPS , some people even do it without a compass.Believe me. As to the movies , there you are probably right.

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[wolfgang]

an incident report and official warning (in spanish) has been posted by a non-government organization in venezuela, ONSA
see http://www.onsa.org.ve/index.php
ONSA/Circ. No. 0014 - 01FEB2004
ADVERTENCIA DE PIRATERÍA dentro de la SRR de Venezuela


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[Anonymous]

There's an English page on that website, here is the only bit of direct relevance but note that there is a map on the website showing safe and dangerous areas.

"7. PIRACY / ARMED ROBBERY

a. We have received time to time reports of Piracy / Armed Robbery on yachts, anchored at night near fishermen's areas. Mostly this reports are related with drunk or druged fishermens looking for money and/or personal belongings like towels, shirts, etc. We do recomend to keep always somebody at night around the boat in any case.

b. Even when friendly & good people is the rule, some others are looking for trouble. In some way, having good relationship with the locals - giving them some fruits, batteries or goods that are not easely findable on their place - helps in keeping the good people at your side wich won't let trouble ones to bader you.

c. To Avoid dangerous areas you MUST see the Boater's Risk Zone Map HERE!. Other Security información regarding this issue is publish at our Sécurité Report webpage.

d. In case of an attack, you should contact inmeaditly the PORT OF CAPTAIN and the National Investigative Police Corp [CICPC] office near you, to declare the incident. Don't hesite to contact Us to help you & recomend further actions. If you require further assistance or want to denounce any incident, please contact Us thru the email [securite@onsa.org.ve] indicating your request.

Don't hesitate to contact Us for further related information thru the email [info@onsa.org.ve], and willing you to have a nice & pleasent stay while in the Venezuelan waterways, "

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[HaraldS]

Found a slightly different story on that:

January 30, 2004
Pirates rob, shoot dead, Italian sailboat captain off Venezuela
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Pirates shot and killed an Italian sailboat captain at sea after robbing him and two companions, Venezuelan police said Friday.
Two survivors said the pirates shot Bruno Bianchella, 49, in the head after he tried to flee into the cabin of his sailboat, said Jose Zerpa, chief of the Margarita Island unit of Venezuela's federal investigative police.

Bianchella's Italian companions, Daniel Fusco, 49, and Lidio Banchetti, 41, were not harmed in the Wednesday-morning attack.
After the assailants fled on a small motorboat, Fusco and Banchetti set off a sonar alarm that alerted the coast guard.
The pirates escaped before Venezuelan authorities reached the site about 50 kilometres off Margarita, Zerpa said. They are believed to have been heading toward Trinidad and Tobago.
The Italians were sailing from St. Vincent of the Grenadines to the Venezuelan port city Puerto La Cruz when eight people on an old motorboat approached them to ask for water. Two of the assailants then boarded the sailboat and pulled out guns.
Zerpa said the Italians had trouble understanding the assailants' Spanish and in the ensuing confusion, Bianchella tried to flee and was shot.
Italian diplomats were arranging for Bianchella's body to be sent home to Italy, Zerpa said. He said Fusco and Banchetti were in Margarita answering questions from authorities but were not suspects themselves.
Bianchella's boat, which was named Joe's Dog and flew South African flags, was still anchored in Margarita.
Zerpa said pirate attacks are not uncommon along the Venezuelan coast but this was the first in Margarita waters in his six years as police chief.


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