Earlier this month the danish freighter Danica White was hijacked off the coast of Somalia - and the crew of five is now being held hostage. It has recently been reported that the pirates are demanding ransom for the release of the crew.A US naval vessel - the USS Carter Hall - fired warning shots, destroyed the 3 skiffs which the pirates had used to capture the Danica White, but was unable to prevent the ship from entering the territorial waters of Somalia.
An exciting story - but not unusual. However there is more!
Some reports claim that the ship was was on its way from Dubai to Mombassa, Kenya, carrying 10 tonnes of building materials...not much cargo for a ship that size (one container can hold 40 tonnes!!!).
I read reports a few days ago quoting a Danish crewmen who left the ship when he learned that the Danica White ship was actually ferrying 220 tonnes of weapons - mostly bombs - to a destination in the Persian Gulf. Perhaps the ship had delivered this cargo before being captured.
Some reports claim that the ship was was on its way from Dubai to Mombassa, Kenya, carrying 10 tonnes of building materials...not much cargo for a ship that size (one container can hold 40 tonnes!!!).
I read reports a few days ago quoting a Danish crewmen who left the ship when he learned that the Danica White ship was actually ferrying 220 tonnes of weapons - mostly bombs - to a destination in the Persian Gulf. Perhaps the ship had delivered this cargo before being captured.
Danish vessels have a long history of dubious freight.
Denmark was one of the first colonial nations to ban slavery - but Danish ships continued to carry a significant portion of the slaves taken from Africa to the New World. Danish sailors and marines enabled King Leopold of Belgium to rape the Congo... and in the last century numerous Danish ships have been hired to carry weapons legally and illegally.
The captain of the Danica White - Willy Larsen - was arrested in September of 2006 for striking a US Coast Guard Officer off the coast of North Carolina.
This story also clearly states that the ship carries weapons to "arab countries".
Denmark was one of the first colonial nations to ban slavery - but Danish ships continued to carry a significant portion of the slaves taken from Africa to the New World. Danish sailors and marines enabled King Leopold of Belgium to rape the Congo... and in the last century numerous Danish ships have been hired to carry weapons legally and illegally.
The captain of the Danica White - Willy Larsen - was arrested in September of 2006 for striking a US Coast Guard Officer off the coast of North Carolina.
This story also clearly states that the ship carries weapons to "arab countries".
Danish ships have also played - and continue to play a critical role providing logistical support to the far-flung US military. Mærsk - which is the worlds largest sea-freight carrier - has significant contracts with the US Government. And Denmark has been a loyal part of the "coalition of the willing".
It would be interesting to know the full story...
if this ship was doing black ops then the usa would be doing a bit more top recover it.
ReplyDeletethe danish merchant marines are probably no more guilty of any social/political "CRIMES" (helping leopold etc) than any other merchant seamen from anywhere else.
i feel that the broad brush you paint them with is probably the residue of decades of attacks on the industry (and all global industries allied woth free enterprise) by leftists in denmark.
don't fall for it.
this ship was doing black ops for someone...and it has a history of such trade...the fact that the US navy did not do more leads me to believe the had delivered the load in the Gulf...or this is all a cover story (which I doubt...)
ReplyDeleteas far as the Congo goes some Danes were more than facilitators - a few were the tip of the spear...