Happy New Year to all of you readers! It's been a long time since my last blog.. We are doing well! Christmas at Sea was another great success and very much appreciated by the seafarers. More recently,, The Seafarer's Mission was blessed to open it's newly renovated and expanded facility at the Delta Port opened on Jan 24th by bishop Rev. Michael Ingham.
On a different note, I'd like to share a few stories of modern-day piracy! It's often in the news and has everything to do with ships, seafarers and the work that I do among these men and woman who make their living at sea. There is no piracy in this part of the world but not too long ago I met a seafarer who, according to his story, had experienced a pirate attack a few years ago off the coast of Somalia. In his case, he and the other members of the crew were kept captive for three weeks until a bag of money was dropped from a helicopter. Not until the captain had counted the money ( $5,000,000 US ) and the pirates were sure it was the right amount, were the seamen let go making for a happy ending to the story.
In another instance, Seog Hae - gyun, a South Korean master was not as fortunate as he tried to protect his ship and crew during a vicious pirate attack on the Indian Ocean, an attack which has left him with serious and long-lasting injuries. When his ship, the MV Samho Jewelry was boarded by pirates in January 2011, the crew took cover in the designated citadel, but the pirates broke in, holding them hostage on the bridge. For two days, Captain Seog steered the ship on a zig-zag course, so that the pirates would not realize that the vessel was actually sailing away from, instead of towards Somali waters. He also contaminated the fuel so the engines would not work normally and pretended the steering gear was malfunctioning in order to slow the eshio's speed from 14 knots to six, to keep her out of Somali waters for as long as possible, so that the South Korean Navy had a chance to attempt a rescue.
Eventually, the pirates became suspicious of some of Captain Seog's actions and brutally beat him up, causing serious fractures to his legs and shoulders. Nevertheless he still managed to communicate with his country's navy in South Korea while ostensibly speaking in English to his shipping company via satellite phone.
When the Korean Navy stormed the vessel, captain Seag warned the boarding team via VHF that three pirates were on the bridge. The pirates then shot him four times, including twice in the abdomen, in revenge. All 21 crew members were eventually freed, with eight of the pirate gang being killed and five captured.
Captain Seog was transferred via a hospital in Oman to one in South Korea, where he underwent major surgery. It was nearly a month before he recovered full consciousness!.......What an incredibly brave man.
Last year he received the IMO ( International Maritime Organization ) Award for exceptional bravery.
To give you more information regarding piracy around the world; The International Maritime Bureau reported that during the first nine months of 2011 there were 352 reported attacks during which eight seafarers were killed, 41 were injured and 625 hotages were taken worldwide.
