Action of 3 June 2007


The Action of 3 June 2007 occurred after a United States Navy dock landing ship attacked pirates hijacking a freighter.

Background

The rise of the Islamic Courts Union in Somalia had stopped the spread of piracy in the region with its following of strict Islamic law punishing pirates harshly. When the Ethiopian and Somali government forces overran the ICU, a lack of strict enforcement allowed the pirates to rebound and once again prey upon shipping in the region by early 2007.

Events

responded to a distress call after the capture of the Danish ship by pirates. Three pirate skiffs had boarded and seized the vessel. Carter Hall ordered the pirates to cease and desist but was ignored. She then began to fire warning shots with small arms across the bow of Danica White to no avail. The pirates merely continued on their course and ignored the US Naval vessel. Carter Hall then opened fire upon the pirate skiffs using her 25 mm cannon as well as smaller caliber guns. After setting the three skiffs alight and destroying them, the pirates fled into Somali territorial waters, preventing the American vessel from giving further chase, as they no longer had the authority to do so under international law. After much negotiation the pirates finally released the ship and crew to the French vessels Commandant Blaison and on 22 August 2007. The pirates had demanded 1.5 million dollars ransom in exchange for the release, but it is unclear what amount was actually paid. The crew returned home safely to Denmark on the twenty-eighth after 83 days of captivity.