[TOEC] Pirater
Lars Wallmark
walmar2@algonet.se
Sun, 20 May 2001 14:09:15 +0200
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Flera har s=E4kert l=E4st om det seglande svenska paret som blev =
attackerade
av pirater utanf=F6r Venezuela. Tack vara kortv=E5gsradion s=E5 klarade =
man sig.
L=E4s en sp=E4nnande historia.
73
sm2hwg
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
The S/Y LORNA was attacked by Venezuelan pirates near Punta Toleta, =
Venezuela, (10' 44.6" N, 62'22.1"W) on Tuesday, March 20, 2001, about =
12:30 pm. LORNA was motoring from Isla Margarita to Trinidad. The =
weather was fine with sunshine, 5 knots easterly and and very little =
swell.=20
We had sailed from Isla Margarita on Monday, March 19, 2001 at 5 pm. The =
plan had been to visit the Venezuelan islands, but weather was not =
inviting; the easterly wind roared in the rigging day after day. The =
thought of going back to Trinidad against strong winds and heavy seas =
made us cancel the trip to Isla Blanquilla and Los Roques.=20
Early Tuesday morning (March 20), the weather was beautiful, no wind and =
very little swell. We decided to keep on motoring; hopefully we would =
reach San Francisco Bay in the afternoon.=20
By lunchtime, when I was occupied serving lunch in the cockpit, my =
husband Bo said: "There is a fishing boat coming up." I stood up and saw =
a small pirogue coming from behind us at high speed. I then sat down and =
let Bo deal with the fishermen before we had lunch.=20
Bo went out on the gunwale to talk to the fishermen while I sat in the =
cockpit. I was unable to see very much because of the dodgers. LORNA is =
a steel ketch with a center cockpit, and the cockpit is well covered by =
bimini top and dodgers.=20
I heard Bo say: "No cigarettes. No smoke." The next thing I heard was a =
shot! Bo came into the cockpit, screaming in agony, and slumped down. I =
helped him get down into the cabin, where he collapsed on the floor =
bleeding from a bullet wound on his back, to the left below the waist.=20
In the same moment, four men with guns boarded the yacht and entered the =
cockpit and cabin. I retreated into the saloon while two of the men =
stepped over Bo and the third sat in the hatch. A fourth man was on the =
deck and another was in the pirogue.=20
According to Bo, the men started making hand signs asking for cigarettes =
at a distance of about 100 yards. They came closer and shouted for =
cigarettes from about 75 yards distance. Bo was a little suspicious, as =
he could see no fishing gear in the boat and all the men sat facing =
LORNA's starboard side. The pirogue came closer and, about 25 yards from =
LORNA, the men took out their weapons, which had been hidden under rags. =
At that time, Bo turned to go down into the cockpit and turn off the =
autopilot to steer away. Immediately, the pirogue accelerated and one =
man fired his revolver from about 20' away.=20
Bo knew he was hit because he felt like he had been kicked in the back =
and he saw a cloud of smoke from the gun. He thought that this was it, =
he would never survive. The bullet went through the hip bone, ripped =
open the colon and stopped near the pancreas. Internal bleeding and =
infection was the result of this.=20
In the cabin, a short stocky man started asking for jewelry, using hand =
signs. They all spoke Spanish. Then the short man wanted "moneda," =
money, and "armas," weapons. We carry nothing of what they asked for. =
They did not believe me and they all started opening cabinets and =
tearing things out. They were extremely aggressive and I did nothing, I =
was paralyzed from seeing my bleeding and obviously in pain husband. I =
was moaning and crying; one of them took a kitchen knife and threatened =
to cut my throat. Except for the revolver, the weapons look old and =
homemade. One of the men was wearing a complete facemask; a cap covering =
his head to his neck with holes for eyes and mouth. His weapon looks =
like a shotgun with a short barrel, but it is very old or maybe =
homemade. They wore shorts, T-shirts and jackets, etc. The short man was =
quite dirty, while another was taller and slimmer and was very neat. He =
was also very cool and calculating, pointing the gun at me every time I =
tried to get closer to my husband.=20
The short, stocky man was evidently the leader and he was extremely =
aggressive, pointing his revolver at Bo when Bo tried to lift his head. =
His eyes are protruding, and his movements are jerky. They started =
collecting whatever they could find and filled a thin sleeping bag with =
the items. They just threw things into it in a jumble. The Canon IS =
binoculars together with four pairs of sandals, fins and snorkels, a =
sailing jacket, my inflatable life vest, a searchlight, a handheld depth =
sounder, a small compass, a Sony Walkman, Wrigley chewing gum - whatever =
they can find laying around.=20
They asked for liquor and I gave them three bottles of rum and some beer =
cans. Then, I wanted them out of the yacht and said "finito" making hand =
signs that they should go. I also ask for las tarjetas, the credit =
cards, which they could not use. They throw them back but keep the =
little purse with bolivars worth about US$15. The little, stocky man =
carefully tore off all microphones he can find, ruining the loud-hailer =
and the two VHF sets. Fortunately, he did not see the microphone for the =
SSB radio.=20
They all retreated to the aft deck. When I went out in the cockpit to =
look at their boat, they pointed their guns at me and made signs that I =
should sit down. When they left, I could see the little pirogue; it was =
white with a green stripe and a big black smudge in the rear end on the =
starboard side: no name, no number. It had a big gray outboard, probably =
Yamaha.=20
I attended to my husband who was bleeding and perspiring. He crawled out =
into the cockpit where I made him as comfortable as I could with pillows =
and covered him with a sheet. He was conscious and told me to activate =
the EPIRB.=20
After that, I tried the handheld VHF, but received no answer. We met a =
Venezuelan fishing boat (about 50-foot). I got their attention by waving =
a sheet. They came closer and I explained in Spanish that my husband had =
been shot, banditos. I asked them to please call Trinidad. There was no =
response. They turned away and went west.=20
LORNA was running under autopilot, and I used the computer charts to set =
the course. I got the bearing for the waypoint, adjusted the autopilot =
so COG (course over ground) was the same as the bearing. I spent very =
little time on navigation.=20
I tried 2182 on the SSB, but got no answer. I tried all the frequencies =
I could find in our list of different nets. I turned the knob trying to =
find a frequency where people were talking. Finally, I realize that this =
is not working, no one will help us.
About 3 pm I found a frequency (14303) where I could hear voices. I went =
to 14000 and could read the voices clearly. I called: "Break, break, =
Mayday, Mayday," and there was response from Eric Mackie on Trinidad, =
who was listening while preparing the weather forecast on TV6. I had no =
idea who was speaking, I was just so relieved to find someone to talk =
to.=20
An hour passed and I suddenly realized that it would be dark before we =
could get any help. The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard needed =
permission to enter Venezuelan waters to assist us, this was taking time =
and Venezuela was not cooperative.=20
About 6 pm we saw a patrol boat coming to meet us at 10'46.1"N, =
61'55.1"W, and over the HF radio we were told to turn around and go with =
the swell. The patrol boat wanted to board us, but I considered this =
impossible in the heavy swell, about six to nine feet. I wanted them to =
launch their big rubber dinghy and take it alongside LORNA, but they did =
not respond to this suggestion. Bo told me that it was the Venezuelan =
Coast Guard. We had decided to turn around and go for Trinidad. Fifteen =
minutes later the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard arrived. They launched =
their dinghy, and two paramedics came on board. After that, two seamen =
came to help me take LORNA to the sound between the Chacachacare and =
Huevos Islands. There Bo was transferred to the Coast Guard vessel at 9 =
pm. Bo was taken to the Coast Guard station in Stauble Bay, where an =
ambulance was waiting to take him to St. Clair Medical Center.=20
The two seamen and I brought LORNA to Stauble Bay and they helped me to =
tie her up. A car took me to the hospital where I talked to Bo and paid =
the deposit for the hospital care. By 1:30 am (Wednesday morning), I was =
back in Stauble Bay and the Carenage police were there to interview me.=20
About the same time. Dr. Fung Kee Fung started the operation which saved =
Bo life. The operation lasted five hours.=20
We want to thank Eric (9Z4CP) Mackie, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast =
Guard, Dr. Fung Kee Fung, Coral Cove Marina, Constable Seepersad at the =
Carenage Police Station, Jesse James of Members Only, and all the =
wonderful people around us.=20
Vivi and Bo (SM7XBH) Altheden=20
kopierat fr=E5n http://www.setsail.com/s_logs/piracy.html
--
Mer om l=E5ngf=E4rdssegling: http://www.dromresan.com
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<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic" size=3D2>Flera har s=E4kert l=E4st om =
det seglande=20
svenska paret som blev attackerade</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic" size=3D2>av pirater utanf=F6r =
Venezuela. Tack vara=20
kortv=E5gsradion s=E5 klarade man sig.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic" size=3D2>L=E4s en sp=E4nnande =
historia.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic" size=3D2>73</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic" size=3D2>sm2hwg</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic" =
size=3D2>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>The S/Y LORNA was attacked by Venezuelan pirates near Punta Toleta, =
Venezuela, (10' 44.6" N, 62'22.1"W) on Tuesday, March 20, 2001, about =
12:30 pm.=20
LORNA was motoring from Isla Margarita to Trinidad. The weather was fine =
with=20
sunshine, 5 knots easterly and and very little swell. <BR><BR>We had =
sailed from=20
Isla Margarita on Monday, March 19, 2001 at 5 pm. The plan had been to =
visit the=20
Venezuelan islands, but weather was not inviting; the easterly wind =
roared in=20
the rigging day after day. The thought of going back to Trinidad against =
strong=20
winds and heavy seas made us cancel the trip to Isla Blanquilla and Los =
Roques.=20
<BR>Early Tuesday morning (March 20), the weather was beautiful, no wind =
and=20
very little swell. We decided to keep on motoring; hopefully we would =
reach San=20
Francisco Bay in the afternoon. <BR><BR>By lunchtime, when I was =
occupied=20
serving lunch in the cockpit, my husband Bo said: "There is a fishing =
boat=20
coming up." I stood up and saw a small pirogue coming from behind us at =
high=20
speed. I then sat down and let Bo deal with the fishermen before we had =
lunch.=20
<BR><BR>Bo went out on the gunwale to talk to the fishermen while I sat =
in the=20
cockpit. I was unable to see very much because of the dodgers. LORNA is =
a steel=20
ketch with a center cockpit, and the cockpit is well covered by bimini =
top and=20
dodgers. <BR><BR>I heard Bo say: "No cigarettes. No smoke." The next =
thing I=20
heard was a shot! Bo came into the cockpit, screaming in agony, and =
slumped=20
down. I helped him get down into the cabin, where he collapsed on the =
floor=20
bleeding from a bullet wound on his back, to the left below the waist. =
<BR>In=20
the same moment, four men with guns boarded the yacht and entered the =
cockpit=20
and cabin. I retreated into the saloon while two of the men stepped over =
Bo and=20
the third sat in the hatch. A fourth man was on the deck and another was =
in the=20
pirogue. <BR><BR>According to Bo, the men started making hand signs =
asking for=20
cigarettes at a distance of about 100 yards. They came closer and =
shouted for=20
cigarettes from about 75 yards distance. Bo was a little suspicious, as =
he could=20
see no fishing gear in the boat and all the men sat facing LORNA's =
starboard=20
side. The pirogue came closer and, about 25 yards from LORNA, the men =
took out=20
their weapons, which had been hidden under rags. At that time, Bo turned =
to go=20
down into the cockpit and turn off the autopilot to steer away. =
Immediately, the=20
pirogue accelerated and one man fired his revolver from about 20' away.=20
<BR><BR>Bo knew he was hit because he felt like he had been kicked in =
the back=20
and he saw a cloud of smoke from the gun. He thought that this was it, =
he would=20
never survive. The bullet went through the hip bone, ripped open the =
colon and=20
stopped near the pancreas. Internal bleeding and infection was the =
result of=20
this. <BR><BR>In the cabin, a short stocky man started asking for =
jewelry, using=20
hand signs. They all spoke Spanish. Then the short man wanted "moneda," =
money,=20
and "armas," weapons. We carry nothing of what they asked for. They did =
not=20
believe me and they all started opening cabinets and tearing things out. =
They=20
were extremely aggressive and I did nothing, I was paralyzed from seeing =
my=20
bleeding and obviously in pain husband. I was moaning and crying; one of =
them=20
took a kitchen knife and threatened to cut my throat. Except for the =
revolver,=20
the weapons look old and homemade. One of the men was wearing a complete =
facemask; a cap covering his head to his neck with holes for eyes and =
mouth. His=20
weapon looks like a shotgun with a short barrel, but it is very old or =
maybe=20
homemade. They wore shorts, T-shirts and jackets, etc. The short man was =
quite=20
dirty, while another was taller and slimmer and was very neat. He was =
also very=20
cool and calculating, pointing the gun at me every time I tried to get =
closer to=20
my husband. <BR><BR>The short, stocky man was evidently the leader and =
he was=20
extremely aggressive, pointing his revolver at Bo when Bo tried to lift =
his=20
head. His eyes are protruding, and his movements are jerky. They started =
collecting whatever they could find and filled a thin sleeping bag with =
the=20
items. They just threw things into it in a jumble. The Canon IS =
binoculars=20
together with four pairs of sandals, fins and snorkels, a sailing =
jacket, my=20
inflatable life vest, a searchlight, a handheld depth sounder, a small =
compass,=20
a Sony Walkman, Wrigley chewing gum - whatever they can find laying =
around.=20
<BR><BR>They asked for liquor and I gave them three bottles of rum and =
some beer=20
cans. Then, I wanted them out of the yacht and said "finito" making hand =
signs=20
that they should go. I also ask for las tarjetas, the credit cards, =
which they=20
could not use. They throw them back but keep the little purse with =
bolivars=20
worth about US$15. The little, stocky man carefully tore off all =
microphones he=20
can find, ruining the loud-hailer and the two VHF sets. Fortunately, he =
did not=20
see the microphone for the SSB radio. <BR><BR>They all retreated to the =
aft=20
deck. When I went out in the cockpit to look at their boat, they pointed =
their=20
guns at me and made signs that I should sit down. When they left, I =
could see=20
the little pirogue; it was white with a green stripe and a big black =
smudge in=20
the rear end on the starboard side: no name, no number. It had a big =
gray=20
outboard, probably Yamaha. <BR><BR>I attended to my husband who was =
bleeding and=20
perspiring. He crawled out into the cockpit where I made him as =
comfortable as I=20
could with pillows and covered him with a sheet. He was conscious and =
told me to=20
activate the EPIRB. <BR><BR>After that, I tried the handheld VHF, but =
received=20
no answer. We met a Venezuelan fishing boat (about 50-foot). I got their =
attention by waving a sheet. They came closer and I explained in Spanish =
that my=20
husband had been shot, banditos. I asked them to please call Trinidad. =
There was=20
no response. They turned away and went west. <BR>LORNA was running under =
autopilot, and I used the computer charts to set the course. I got the =
bearing=20
for the waypoint, adjusted the autopilot so COG (course over ground) was =
the=20
same as the bearing. I spent very little time on navigation. <BR><BR>I =
tried=20
2182 on the SSB, but got no answer. I tried all the frequencies I could =
find in=20
our list of different nets. I turned the knob trying to find a frequency =
where=20
people were talking. Finally, I realize that this is not working, no one =
will=20
help us.<BR><BR>About 3 pm I found a frequency (14303) where I could =
hear=20
voices. I went to 14000 and could read the voices clearly. I called: =
"Break,=20
break, Mayday, Mayday," and there was response from Eric Mackie on =
Trinidad, who=20
was listening while preparing the weather forecast on TV6. I had no idea =
who was=20
speaking, I was just so relieved to find someone to talk to. <BR><BR>An =
hour=20
passed and I suddenly realized that it would be dark before we could get =
any=20
help. The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard needed permission to enter =
Venezuelan=20
waters to assist us, this was taking time and Venezuela was not =
cooperative.=20
<BR><BR>About 6 pm we saw a patrol boat coming to meet us at 10'46.1"N,=20
61'55.1"W, and over the HF radio we were told to turn around and go with =
the=20
swell. The patrol boat wanted to board us, but I considered this =
impossible in=20
the heavy swell, about six to nine feet. I wanted them to launch their =
big=20
rubber dinghy and take it alongside LORNA, but they did not respond to =
this=20
suggestion. Bo told me that it was the Venezuelan Coast Guard. We had =
decided to=20
turn around and go for Trinidad. Fifteen minutes later the Trinidad and =
Tobago=20
Coast Guard arrived. They launched their dinghy, and two paramedics came =
on=20
board. After that, two seamen came to help me take LORNA to the sound =
between=20
the Chacachacare and Huevos Islands. There Bo was transferred to the =
Coast Guard=20
vessel at 9 pm. Bo was taken to the Coast Guard station in Stauble Bay, =
where an=20
ambulance was waiting to take him to St. Clair Medical Center. =
<BR><BR>The two=20
seamen and I brought LORNA to Stauble Bay and they helped me to tie her =
up. A=20
car took me to the hospital where I talked to Bo and paid the deposit =
for the=20
hospital care. By 1:30 am (Wednesday morning), I was back in Stauble Bay =
and the=20
Carenage police were there to interview me. <BR>About the same time. Dr. =
Fung=20
Kee Fung started the operation which saved Bo life. The operation lasted =
five=20
hours. <BR><BR>We want to thank Eric (9Z4CP) Mackie, the Trinidad and =
Tobago=20
Coast Guard, Dr. Fung Kee Fung, Coral Cove Marina, Constable Seepersad =
at the=20
Carenage Police Station, Jesse James of Members Only, and all the =
wonderful=20
people around us. <BR><BR>Vivi and Bo (SM7XBH) Altheden <BR><BR>kopierat =
fr=E5n <A=20
href=3D"http://www.setsail.com/s_logs/piracy.html">http://www.setsail.com=
/s_logs/piracy.html</A><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>--<BR>Mer=20
om l=E5ngf=E4rdssegling: <A=20
href=3D"http://www.dromresan.com">http://www.dromresan.com</A><BR></DIV><=
/BODY></HTML>
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