Somali Pirates Mysteriously Die After Russians Release Them

[WildCat]

Ten suspected Somali pirates captured by the Russian navy last week may have perished after their release, a defence source in Moscow has told reporters.

Marines seized them during a dramatic operation to free a hijacked Russian oil tanker far from shore, killing an 11th suspect in the gun battle.

They were released in an inflatable boat without navigational equipment.

Within an hour, contact was lost with the boat's radio beacon, the defence source said.

"It seems that they all died," the unnamed source was quoted as saying by Russia's Interfax news agency.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8675978.stm

Well, these things happen. People die at sea all the time!

 

[Zep]

Shades of The French Atlantic Affair!

 

[Noztradamus]

.
They were released in an inflatable boat without navigational equipment.

Released without the right of correspondence

 

[WildCat]

And before any of you bleeding hearts start whining about no fair trial and all that I have it on good authority that several of the pirates turned cartwheels after they were captured.

Or parts of them were cartwheeling away at a high rate of speed anyway.

 

[theprestige]

Yet more evidence for my theory that Russia is the true test of statesmanship for any other national leader, and the corollary that Barack Obama is woefully outmatched.

 

[Zep]

Oh I don't think so.

I suspect there was no navigational beacon because there was no inflatable boat released. I mean, who would give away a perfectly good inflatable boat!

I also suspect there are a few new "guest-workers" arriving in Siberia shortly...

 

[KingMerv00]

Autopsy revealed they died of lead poisoning.

 

[Bikewer]

The Russians have always been rather sanguine about such matters. Hostage-takers tend to die, and if a few hostages go too...Well, that's the breaks.

 

[BenBurch]

I can't feel too bad about pirates... My personal belief is that you open fire until 5 minutes after nothing is moving any more, and then arrest the survivors...

 

[Checkmite]

Is it wrong that I giggled when I read the OP?

 

[daredelvis]

Yet more evidence for my theory that Russia is the true test of statesmanship for any other national leader, and the corollary that Barack Obama is woefully outmatched.

Any story can be turned into an example of a failing of Obama.

Daredelvis

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I guess they weren't very good seamen.

 

[Checkmite]

Yet more evidence for my theory that Russia is the true test of statesmanship for any other national leader, and the corollary that Barack Obama is woefully outmatched.

Not sure how this qualifies as evidence of such; we've seen how President Obama handles piracy, and it isn't with inadequacy.

 

[Chris L]

we've seen how President Obama handles piracy, and it isn't with inadequacy.

I'm not an Obama fan, but you have a point Checkmite. As to the pirates, well these things happen.

 

[Kopji]

aargh. dead men tell no tales

 

[Soapy Sam]

These things do happen, especially in Somalia, where natural selection takes an active part in day-to-day culture, but that would be no reason to accept similar events occurring elsewhere, or indeed , to find it funny that it still happens in Somalia.

 

[shemp]

How close were they to the Bermuda Triangle?

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

Where is the Mystery mentioned in the title to this thread?

 

[Darth Rotor]

Well, these things happen. People die at sea all the time!

The Navfor spokesman suggested the loss of navigational equipment would not necessarily be critical if there was an experienced mariner among the 10 men on the boat.

I'd like to point out that, based on what's in the article, the beacon on that life raft did not constitute navigational equipment. The beacon lets people know where the raft is, if the receiving station picks up the freq. It doesn't let the pirates know where they are.

Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of vodka.

DR

 

[patchbunny]

Ten suspected Somali pirates captured by the Russian navy last week may have perished after their release, a defence source in Moscow has told reporters.

Marines seized them during a dramatic operation to free a hijacked Russian oil tanker far from shore, killing an 11th suspect in the gun battle.

They were released in an inflatable boat without navigational equipment.

Within an hour, contact was lost with the boat's radio beacon, the defence source said.

"It seems that they all died," the unnamed source was quoted as saying by Russia's Interfax news agency.

To be fair, the Russian Navy never claimed the inflatable boat was inflated when they cast the pirates adrift.