British Yacht Attacked and Robbed Off Somalia

Created by jimmy. Last modified on 2007-03-23 15:27:25
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Topic: Piracy Archive 2000-2002

Report on boarding of British yacht Sara of Hamble off South Somalia coast by John Cossey and Andrina Cossey

The attack took place at 10.30 on Friday 4th October 2002 at 04 40'N 48 34'E about 30 miles off the coast of Somalia, about 40 miles SSE of town of Obbia.

Sara was sailing at about 3 knots under main and spinnaker. Two open boats approached at speed. Each was about 8 metres long, white, with inboard engines and each carrying five men. On the side of one boat was painted in large letters AL FIRUNAN. The boats also carried fishing nets and large cans of diesel. The men were quite young and wore coloured tee shirts and trousers

The first boat came close on our port side. The men waved, exchanged greetings, asked where we were from, and one said "no problems". We gave them packets of cigarettes and they gave us a small bonito. When the second boat came close one said they were bad men.

The second boat came along our starboard side and three men immediately jumped on board Sara so two men came on board from the first boat. One man from the second boat spoke some English. He asked us what we were doing in Somali waters, had we got problems, had we got an engine. He asked us to start it to show him. He acted like an official but clearly wasn't. He said they wanted us to follow them to the coast or give them money. We gave them $50 we keep in a drawer. Then he asked about the radio and tried to use it to talk to a station in Somalia. I am not sure if he managed to and I cannot remember the frequency he used.

Someone said they had a kalashnikov in the fishing boat. We never saw one. Two men now had big fishing knives and indicated that we had to sit on the deck. Others went below and started bringing out stuff and taking it to one or other of the fishing boats which circled and came back. The second one particularly took no care and damaged our topsides and toe rail. The so-called official took me below and at knife point asked where our money was. It seemed a good idea to give it to him. It was hidden and he saw where I got it from. $680. We hoped this would satisfy them. But they wanted the radios and the cables were cut with a knife. They said they would go after they took the radios but then wanted a solar panel and an outboard motor. They were not unreasonable, they asked what the radar was and when told it was for navigation they left it and the installed GPS. I protested that we could not see at night without a torch so they gave one back and also one pair of binoculars in exchange for a solar panel. Someone was prevented from taking all the tools.

All the men left except the two with knives. They were wearing two of our jackets. They wanted one of us to go with them. We now sat in the cockpit refusing to move. A man from the second boat who spoke a little English said they wanted more money. We said we didn't have any. OK, he said 'I don't care I go.' He waved at the two men and shouted Kill! Kill! Hack them to pieces! We gave him the last of our money $300. They thought he had more and he kept saying You buy more dollars We protested we couldn't. We had nothing more and eventually after more repetitions of Kill! Kill! they left. They had been on board two hours.

We motored away at 7 knots. We were nearly 800 miles from the nearest available port Salalah, Oman and it took 9 days to reach it early on Monday 14th October. We reported the incident to the police as soon as we arrived. With no radios we could not report before.

Money and equipment stolen from s/v Sara of Hamble:

Total value £4000 ($6000); Dollars; Radio SSB Transceiver; VHF; 2 searchlights; torch; Camera; 2 Walkmans; Minidisk recorder; Piano accordion; Quatro (small guitar); Handheld VHF; TV; Video recorder; Solar panel; Music centre (Sony); Garmin GPS; BCG; 2 masks and snorkels; Shaver; Watch; Computer (Laptop); Briefcase; Outboard 2HP; clothing; Matress and Sleeping bag; Batteries ; 12 cigarette lighters; 2 calculators; Gaff; tools; Box of floppy disks.