Indian Navy sinking of Pirate 'Mother Ship' was actually a 'Thai Trawler'

[UnitedPak]

Indian navy 'sank Thai trawler'

The owner of a Thai fishing trawler has said the Indian navy sank it off Somalia's coast last week after wrongly assuming it was a pirate "mother ship".

Wicharn Sirichaiekawat said the Indian frigate had attacked the Ekawat Nava 5 while it was being hijacked by pirates.

He said one of the crew had been found alive after six days in the Gulf of Aden, but that another 14 were missing.

The Indian navy has insisted the vessel fired in self-defence at a pirate ship which had been stacked with explosives.

Almost 40 ships have been seized by Somali pirates so far this year.

Earlier, the authorities in Yemen confirmed pirates had captured a cargo ship carrying building material off the country's coast. They said the pirates were demanding a ransom of $2m (£1.3m).

The latest incident came days after the Saudi oil tanker, Sirius Star, was hijacked. It was earlier moved further north up the Somali coast.

'Self-defence'

Mr Wicharn told reporters in Bangkok that the Ekawat Nava 5 had been headed from Oman to Yemen last Tuesday to deliver fishing equipment when it was approached by Somali pirates in two speed boats in the Gulf of Aden.


INS Tabar [File picture]
We fired in self-defence and in response to firing upon our vessel
Commodore Nirad Sinha
Indian Navy spokesman

The pirates were in the process of boarding the vessel and seizing control when the Indian navy frigate, the INS Tabar, sailed into view and demanded it stop for investigation, he added.

"The sunken ship which the Indian navy claimed was a 'mother ship' of pirates was not the 'mother ship' at all," he said.

"The pirates wanted to take our ship to Somalia."

Mr Wicharn said he had learnt the fate of his trawler from a Cambodian crew member who had survived the INS Tabar's bombardment and had been rescued by a passing ship after six days adrift in the Indian Ocean.

The sailor was now recovering in a hospital in Yemen, he said.

Later, an Indian navy spokesman insisted that the Tabar had fired only upon a pirate "mother ship" which had threatened it.

"We fired in self-defence and in response to firing upon our vessel. It was a pirate vessel in the international waters and its stance was aggressive," Commodore Nirad Sinha told CNN.

Map

Following last week's incident, the Indian navy said in a statement that the Tabar had spotted a pirate vessel while patrolling 285 nautical miles (530km) south-west of Salalah, Oman. It said those on board had been armed with guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

When it demanded the vessel stop for investigation, the pirate ship had responded by threatening to "blow up the naval warship if it closed on her", the statement said.

The pirates then fired on the Tabar, after which the Indians retaliated and there was an explosion on the pirate vessel, which then sank, it added.

India is one of several countries currently patrolling the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. France, India, South Korea, Russia, Spain, the US and Nato also have a presence in the region.

BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | Indian navy 'sank Thai trawler'

 

[zombie]

Wicharn Sirichaiekawat said the Indian frigate had attacked the Ekawat Nava 5 while it was being hijacked by pirates.

Ekawat Nava 5 had been headed from Oman to Yemen last Tuesday to deliver fishing equipment when it was approached by Somali pirates in two speed boats in the Gulf of Aden

The pirates were in the process of boarding the vessel and seizing control when the Indian navy frigate, the INS Tabar, sailed into view and demanded it stop for investigation, he added.

said those on board had been armed with guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

When it demanded the vessel stop for investigation, the pirate ship had responded by threatening to "blow up the naval warship if it closed on her", the statement said.

The pirates then fired on the Tabar

So there were pirates aboard the ship and it wont be too difficult to imagine pirates wont have a problem firing at anyone interfering in their tasks, the TABAR was perfectly correct in firing back.

So what would Pak army do say if Taliban started shooting at Pak army from behind a wall and behind that wall they hid some civilians especially if they carried grenade launchers and were within range? Run away? Do Taliban hang posters "civilians hidden here?".

humbug...if its indian it must be wrong.sheesh.

 

[shchinese]

So there were pirates aboard the ship and it wont be too difficult to imagine pirates wont have a problem firing at anyone interfering in their tasks, the TABAR was perfectly correct in firing back.

So what would Pak army do say if Taliban started shooting at Pak army from behind a wall and behind that wall they hid some civilians especially if they carried grenade launchers and were within range? Run away? Do Taliban hang posters "civilians hidden here?".

People are talking about the 'Mother Ship' propaganda from the Indian side. Can you understand this?

 

[Zaheerkhan]

Yes, this ship was earlier a Thai vessel, and was later hijacked by the Somali pirates. The shipping company did not disclose what happend to this ship. This ship was under the pirate control and they began using this ship as a 'mother ship' and had stored a huge amount of ammunation and explosives o-board. When INS Tabar requested it for an inspection, they opened fire on INSTabar, and fire was promptly returned. The ammunition on-board exploded causing the ship to sink. Now, the Thai shipping company wants to claim insurance for the ship. It seems un-confirmed report that,enquiry has been ordered by the Thai Govt. against the shipping company, as to why it did not disclose that the vessel was hijacked by pirates or even missing at sea.

 

[satishkumarcsc]

What was a Thai boad doing in Somali waters....that too a fishing boat...

 

[newlife]

What was a Thai boad doing in Somali waters....that too a fishing boat...

Somthing fishy


It is done just to claim the insurance money,by the ship company...

 

[Imran Khan]

Ship sunk by India was trawler, not pirate - official


Wednesday, 26 Nov, 2008 | 12:02 PM PST |

Pirates have plagued international shipping, and news that the Indian Navy destroyed one of their vessels was cheered around the world - File photo

KUALA LUMPUR: An official was quoted by the AP as saying that the ship that was sunk by the Indian Navy last week was in fact a Thai fishing trawler, and not a pirate vessel as reported - Details to follow.


DAWN.COM | World | Ship sunk by India was trawler, not pirate - official

 

[shchinese]

Somthing fishy


It is done just to claim the insurance money,by the ship company...

and then your India navy fired on them because it is illegal doing fishing there?since when India navy is appointed as the world police? by whom?

keep my words in your mind: the current regime/army/navy of India is a threat to the world peace.

 

[satishkumarcsc]

We were there to protect our ships and the ship wich was asked to stop fired back...it was firing in self defence...and how does it make you say India is a threat for world peace?

 

[shchinese]

We were there to protect our ships and the ship wich was asked to stop fired back...it was firing in self defence...and how does it make you say India is a threat for world peace?

are you out of your mind?

self defence firing then destroyed that boat owned by a Thailand company?
self defence firing in which those Thais on board could be killed?

WTF, when you are firing on that Thailand boat, your navy is invading other country. tell me why that is not a threat to the world peace?

let me just repeat: India is the only poor developing nation that is operating aircraft carrier, India is the only nation that is firing on fishing boat in that region using standard navy equipment.

 

[shchinese]

Ship sunk by India was trawler, not pirate - official


Wednesday, 26 Nov, 2008 | 12:02 PM PST |

Pirates have plagued international shipping, and news that the Indian Navy destroyed one of their vessels was cheered around the world - File photo

KUALA LUMPUR: An official was quoted by the AP as saying that the ship that was sunk by the Indian Navy last week was in fact a Thai fishing trawler, and not a pirate vessel as reported - Details to follow.


DAWN.COM | World | Ship sunk by India was trawler, not pirate - official

I just want to know how the India navy officers came up that "mother ship" crap.

 

[nitesh]

See guys I see to it like this:

There was a ship which was a Thai Trawler for fishing

for "fishing: they were using weapons means they were killing the fishes and taking them that is an innovative technique used by them as the nets don't get them wnough fish.

When Navy ship had approached them they threatened and even fired. Hence the retaliatory fire.

 

[Always Neutral]

See guys I see to it like this:

There was a ship which was a Thai Trawler for fishing

for "fishing: they were using weapons means they were killing the fishes and taking them that is an innovative technique used by them as the nets don't get them wnough fish.

When Navy ship had approached them they threatened and even fired. Hence the retaliatory fire.

They were just like Stolt Valour Hijacked. The poor crewman had no choice but to listen to the Pirates. Would INS Tabar fired on Stolt Valour knowing Indians were onboard alongwith the Pirates. NO.

I hope India apologies and pays compensation and sacks the Captain of INS Tabar.

Regards

 

[Always Neutral]

Yes, this ship was earlier a Thai vessel, and was later hijacked by the Somali pirates. The shipping company did not disclose what happend to this ship. This ship was under the pirate control and they began using this ship as a 'mother ship' and had stored a huge amount of ammunation and explosives o-board. When INS Tabar requested it for an inspection, they opened fire on INSTabar, and fire was promptly returned. The ammunition on-board exploded causing the ship to sink. Now, the Thai shipping company wants to claim insurance for the ship. It seems un-confirmed report that,enquiry has been ordered by the Thai Govt. against the shipping company, as to why it did not disclose that the vessel was hijacked by pirates or even missing at sea.

INS Tabar has no right to board any ship and it would have been more carefull if Indians were onboard.

The Capt should be courtmartialled for being so trigger happy.

Killing 4 pirates and murdering 15 poor Thai fisherman is no act of bravery.

Regards

 

[nitesh]

They were just like Stolt Valour Hijacked. The poor crewman had no choice but to listen to the Pirates. Would INS Tabar fired on Stolt Valour knowing Indians were onboard alongwith the Pirates. NO.

I hope India apologies and pays compensation and sacks the Captain of INS Tabar.

Regards

AN there was no distress signal given by the ship, IN asked for search they threatened and even fired. IN retaliated with close in guns not even main gun. And that's it.