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    Posted December 7, 2008 by
    Neudenberger |
    Location
    Hodeidah‎, Yemen
    Assignment
    Assignment
    This iReport is part of an assignment:
    iReport for CNN

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    German Cruise Ship Evacuates Passengers to Prevent Possible Pirate Encounter

    By Neudenberger  |  Posted December 7, 2008  |  Hodeidah‎, Yemen
     

    I am in contact via email with my mother, who is with her spouse on the German cruise ship MS. Columbus from Hapag Lloyd. The Columbus is a "piece" of Germany constantly cruising around the world. It is only a small ship by today's standards with only 420 passengers on board.

     

    My mom started her trip about 10 days ago in the Mediterranean. They were scheduled to go through the famous Suez Canal and then continue through the red sea by the pirate infested Somalia cost towards Dubai. Even before the journey I urged my mom not to take the trip and she contacted the German government for advice. She was told that they cruise ship would travel by Somalia in a convoy and that the US Navy would control the convoy. I felt relived with that information since an older German law does not allow the German Navy to do "anything" unless they get directly attack. They have watched pirates taking over ships and couldn't do anything. Luckily this is being changed this month.

     

    Now I just received a note via email from my mother on the MS. Columbus, that the ship is being evacuated to prevent any possible encounter with the pirates. I guess the attempted attack on a cruise ship last weekend concerned the German cruise line. They are unloading all passengers in Hodeidah, Yemen and will fly them to Dubai, where they will spend 3 days in a Hotel. Then they will fly to Salala, Oman and continue their journey on the MS. Columbus. The Captain is facing the potential pirate encounter with a selected crew of 50. Hopefully he will be able to outrun the pirates as well!

     

    It is getting time that the International community is doing something against these "outcasts". They are International terrorist and they should be treated as such. So far the have only millions to gain and nothing to lose. They are the local hero's and everybody wants to become a pirate. It is time to change their local image and the risk involved and gain control back over the area.

     

     

    My mom wanted an adventure and got more than she asked for...

     

     

    Greetings from Florida,

     

     

    Thomas N.

     

     

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