Cruise ship passengers fight off pirates

MSC Cruises passengers John and Barbara Jeffrey tell of how they helped fend off Somali pirates by throwing deckchairs at them

The couple from Seaton Deleval, North Tyneside were enjoying a once in a lifetime cruise from South Africa to the Mediterranean onboard the MSC Melody when Somali pirates descended upon the ship whilst firing an array of bullets

The Jeffrey’s were amongst a group of people who were enjoying a late night evening on deck when they spotted a small boat following the cruise ship. As events unfolded they were horrified to see a pirate attaching a rope to the lower deck.

The holidaymakers threw everything they could at the man until he finally fell into the sea thanks to a German passenger hitting him with a flying deckchair. This caused anger amongst the other pirates who began firing at the ship with machine guns

Mr Jeffrey, 65, told the Evening Chronicle newspaper: "They were still close to the ship at this point so they didn't have a great angle to hit us. I think they were trying to scare us off so they could try with another rope, but we stood our ground and continued throwing things at the boat.

"They then pulled away from the boat and started firing at us. I was amazed at how calm everyone was."

The couple along with other passengers took shelter inside the ship but bullets ripped through its hull, and Mr Jeffrey, took a glancing blow from one and was more seriously injured by shrapnel from another.

Crew members eventually saw off the pirates by using water hoses to thwart their attempts to climb aboard.

The drama unfolded in April 2009 and the Jeffrey’s decided to speak out about their ordeal after settling a legal claim with MSC Cruises.

Mr Jeffrey was treated for six days onboard before he was transferred via Jordan to a French hospital after his septic wounds failed to respond to antibiotics.

A spokeswoman for MSC Cruises said: "Passengers' safety is always paramount to us and security procedures were well in place at the time to protect the passengers from the alleged risk of piracy.

"MSC can confirm that they did not and do not accept any legal responsibility for the incident which was unforeseeable as it has been the first reported case of an attack to a passenger vessel.

"There was adequate security present on board during Mr and Mrs Jeffery's cruise.

"The crew were on proper look-out by sight and hearing so as to make a full appraisal of the situation.

"The correct position is that whilst the MSC Melody was 600 nautical miles from the coast of Somalia, six pirates on a small craft approached the vessel late on the Saturday evening, April 25 2009.

"The security personnel onboard took all available steps including the deployment of water hoses.

"There were a few passengers who observed the incident and tried to throw deckchairs at the pirates. This was not necessary and the situation was well under control by the vessel.

"Following the above attack, MSC Cruises has launched exciting new West Africa itineraries departing from Livorno in Italy and Durban in South Africa, which combine the relaxation of a long ocean cruise with a tremendous variety of ports of call and special excursions.

"The new routes simultaneously represent decisive action by MSC Cruises to completely remove any threat to its passengers from Somali pirates."