Missing Oil Tanker – a work of Pirates?
Pirates are real. Maybe not the Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom type, but they do exist. Real pirates aren’t necessarily handsome, nor do they necessarily love rum or have ‘polly on their shoulders’. but they are all the more dangerous. One thing is common though: they hijack ships, holding them against their ‘will’, demanding ransom. And the captivity includes the ship’s crew.
Pirate attacks have been a massive threat along the coasts of Somalia for a long time. The attacks have caused a major financial loss for the world’s shipping industry. They also took many lives throughout the years. A ransom was normally asked for, but pirates didn’t always wait for the money before starting to kill crew members.
In 2012, a commercial ship was held captive for 10 months. It had 26 crew members, and was carrying 135,000 tons of crude oil. Even though a ransom was paid, no amount of money could give those ten months back to the crew members. Nor could they erase their nightmares.
Since then, patrols monitor the coasts, searching for pirates. Although no attacks happened during the past five years, the fear remained there. And now Somali pirates might have returned, and with a powerful entree, too.
On Monday, an oil tanker that was used to refuel ships in port went missing after sending a mayday alert. It was approached by two ships, and armed men stormed on board. There was complete radio silence after that. There were at least 8 crew members on board. Although no specific amount has been confirmed yet, it is very likely that pirates have returned. But what’s behind it all? And why now? And maybe more importantly, what can we do to prevent pirate attacks? Let’s consult the cards.
Psychic Timea’s Verdict:
Four of Cups: This card represents the general attitude towards the issue. People are defensive, thinking it’s not their problem. Also, those who were affected before try to forget what happened. Ignorance isn’t going to lead us further to the solution. The only thing it does is help pirates achieve their goals.
Five of Pentacles: This card represents the loss incurred by the pirates. But it can also be an eye-opener. Trying to save money isn’t always the best option, especially if it means a less safe option. Experts say that the oil tanker was using a high risk route to save money.
Eight of Pentacles: There are always a lot of things to learn from a situation. Regular patrolling will continue, and people will find new ways to help. Patience is key and dedication. Fighting off a major threat like this isn’t going to be diminished overnight. But, eventually, it will be.
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