Hmmm, USN surrounds the area. British send ships. NATO sends ships. Somali officials authorize the use of force from the intl community against the pirates, Russia sends ships, and-wha? All of a sudden the ship is freed? Gee, how did that happen? No, this is not the Ukrainian ship w Russian tanks on board, or the Spanish ship. It’s the Iranian ship where the pirates who were briefly exposed to “something” suddenly became sick, and 50 reportedly died. Now the ship is on the loose.
On August 21, the pirates seized the Iranian bulk carrier, carrying 42,500 tons of minerals and industrial products.
“The ship Dianat was released on Friday morning after even weeks of negotiations with Somali pirates and all 29 members of the crew are safe,” Said public relations office of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL).
The ship is sailing towards international waters, IRISL added.
So the pirates let this ship and it’s crew go? And are we just going to let it slip away to wherever?
Apparently, that IS the case. My hope is that the USN/NATO will stop it for a health inspection, but my fear is that whatever was on it that killed 50 pirates who came close to “it” might have been offloaded and passed on to the AQ affiliate group that serves as middleman between the pirates and ransom payers. Could be just warlord rumors and such, but scary stuff to be certain. I’ve been posting the Somali pirate things for the past few days as I think this is an international incident simmering just close enough to the surface that it could erupt and become a real important focal point (that is if the world economy levels out).
Actually the US, UK, and Russia should all order the ship to heave to for safety and navigation inspections. After all spending weeks and weeks without proper maintenace, who knows if the rust has eaten out the keel?
Maybe they are going to see if anyone has the audacity to claim the cargo as their own.
“After all spending weeks and weeks without proper maintenace, who knows if the rust has eaten out the keel?”
LOL
“Yeah, and ya know, yore flagstaff looks a bit cockeyed, and those radio communications! …the static was awful. And ya see this here turn signal? (smash) See how it’s broke?” — LTJG Opie.
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“Maybe they are going to see if anyone has the audacity to claim the cargo as their own.” — Elroy Jetson
I.e., you mean, see what their destination is? Probably not stupid enough to go there now. I would stop them and search it, but then what do I know. So we have another 9/11 just because we’re too timid to do anything. It won’t be the first time.
“rusted out keel?” What’s a “keel?”
http://www.wellandcanal.ca/salties/i/irandeyanat/deyanat.htm
some other info
http://informationdissemination.blogspot.com/2008/09/observing-story-of-mv-iran-deyanat.html
http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Article.aspx?id=851953
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/09/mystery_surrounds_hi.php
Yonason;
A keel is the center beam that run’s from a watercraft’s bow underneath to it’s stern. In the tall ship days and earlier the keel was the primary structure of the entire ship. Much like our back-bones/vertibrate. A ship of that class probably wouldn’t have an true keel, but bulkheads, ribs, stringers and other components for attaching the sheetmetal hull and deckings to. However the point of Anna’s question is whether whatever the mysterious cargo is, whether it could leech out.
Anna;
As we discussed in other thread’s concerning this ship, the symptoms described are more consistant with radiation poisoning than chemical or biological warfare agents. That is justifible concern for the UN and the US, as it could point to Iran as either importing or exporting nuclear materials illegally. Even if it were only nuclear waste water being transported, the answer to your question is yes, it could feasibly leak out and cause environmental complications. However, if it were only “heavy water” it would dilute with the sea currents eventually be relatively inconsequential, unless it made it’s way via local fishing into food supplies. The greater concern is the possibility that it might have carried materials that could yield a dirty nuke for terrorist use and where that material is now.
Either way, it is important that the ship be searched ASAP to determine risks. Even if the materials were removed, if people were getting sick, there would still be trace radiation. The corpses of the dead pirates should also be carefully examined for radiation. If they are contaminated, they have to be disposed of as hazardous nuclear waste.
Rocky_B
Yes, Rocky, I know what a keel is. I was pretending to be a novice pirate. Guess that wasn’t too clear. And that picture is of the MV Iran Deyanat, the ship in question, which doesn’t look to be in any too well maintained externally to start with. But the keel is probably the last to go, which is why I thought it was a funny ruse to pull ‘em over to search ‘em.
Oh LOL, Ar’ then have at ye’ matey. ya’ got to put the lingo in there next time.
Ar’ an here’s a nifty nautical tracking tool what might interest ya,…
http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shiplocations.phtml
…but I don’t see ‘er anywhere I thought she’d be…