Piracy fears renewed

The missing British couple, Paul and Rachel Chandler, who have vanished from their yacht in the Indian Ocean, are being held by Somali pirates who have today moved them to a shore location. This latest attack, which led to their yacht being abandoned of Tanzania, has perturbed cruise line companies.

The Somali pirates are now operating up to 400 miles off their native coast, which means many cruise ships in the Indian Ocean, and especially those passing through the Gulf of Aden, are believed to be at risk of attack. In May MSC Melody fought off a pirate attack and it appears that crew on the Ocean Village 2, which is making its last voyage before a refit and rebrand, have been given strict instructions about keeping the vessel safe, including lowering the lights and ensuring that at night, when the pirates usually attack, passengers are not wandering the decks, so certain outdoor dining options will not be available after sundown. Some ships are said to be taking coils of barbed wire to deploy around the sides of the ship when travelling through the narrow Gulf and arming watch officers, while others are considering whether to re-route itineraries that put their passengers and crew at risk of attack. Those who may be re-planning or trips through the Gulf, or even cancelling cruises, include Yachts of Seabourn, Costa and Voyages of Discovery.