Gangstas On The High Seas

Modern day pirates -- without the eye patches or peg legs

By PETER WORTHINGTON

When the Canadian frigate HMCS Winnipeg intercepted Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden last April, some were puzzled that instead of blasting the pirate boat out of the water, the Winnipeg's helicopter displayed a "stop" sign to dissuade the hijacking.

"The stop sign was mounted beside a machine gun, and the pirates got the message -- stop or else," recalls the skipper of the Winnipeg at the time, Commander Craig Baines, now ashore and due to take a French course before assuming staff duties in Ottawa.

Baines feels the term "pirate" is a bit misleading.

"They're more like a Los Angeles street gang," he says. "Young, hopped up on khat, armed and dangerous, but not thugs -- kids mostly, in a high-risk business."

He was asked if sinking their boats and stringing them up wouldn't be a more persuasive deterrent than stop signs?

"If we were to catch pirates in the process of attacking or boarding a ship, we'd take such action as necessary," says Baines. "Remember, we are the good guys. We follow rules. Rather than pirates in the popular sense, these people are criminals."

Each country with ships in NATO's anti-pirate mission to keep the sea lanes open around Somalia, has its own rules about piracy. The French have been aggressive, and on occasion hostages have been killed.

Why is this happening? Somalia is anarchy these days. Pirates have more power than the government.

In 2008, five main pirate gangs (totaling 1,000 bodies) staged 100 sea attacks and 40 hostage-takings, netting an estimated $80 million in ransom.

This year, attacks have increased.

Eleven NATO countries and ships from China, Japan, Russia and India are on the lookout for pirates.

When the 134-metre-long, 5,000-ton Canadian warship comes alongside a 25 to 40-foot pirate boat, powered by 40 to 60 horsepower engines, the pirates try to dump their weapons and incriminating evidence overboard.

"Instantly they are no longer combatants," quips Baines. "They are seven guys just sitting in a boat, sometimes fishing and all proclaiming innocence."

Even though it can be frustrating to capture pirates and then have to release them, there is satisfaction in the mission. Baines, whose 22 years in the navy have been spent mostly at sea on nine different ships, figures the Winnipeg stopped six pirate attacks on his watch, and other NATO ships thwarted 15 piracies.

Still, one gets the feeling that keeping the sea lanes open in the Gulf of Aden with limited NATO ships, is a losing cause. Catching pirates doesn't deter the ones financing the piracy.

Those in the pirate boats don't get much money. Similarly, Afghan poppy growers get little for their efforts. The big money goes to those who employ the little guys.

Just as Canada's army is a good fit with U.S. and NATO forces, so our navy integrates well with the U.S. and allied navies.

"We're a small navy, but we're world class, and we integrate well."

He's not enthusiastic about shore duty. "If anyone had told me as a kid that I'd someday be the captain of a ship fighting pirates, I'd have thought them crazy."

Canadian morale in pirate waters is high. During six months chasing pirates, there were no complaints among the Winnipeg's crew of 250 -- even though none of the pirates they encountered wore eye patches, had peg legs, or wore the skull and crossbones.

On the other hand, no captured pirate walked the plank or was hanged from the yard arm.

Pity.