Off the coast of Somalia, passengers on the luxury liner Seabourn Spirit were treated to the latest offering in ocean—going entertainment. While on its way from Alexandria in Egypt to Mombassa in Kenya, the ship was fired upon by gunmen shooting from at least two speedboats in what was an apparent pirate attack.
David Dingle, a spokesman for the Miami—based company Seabourn Cruises, said passengers were "somewhat surprised and shocked" when they woke to find the ship under attack at 0530 (0230 GMT) on Saturday.
Hopefully, the breakfast buffet remained undisturbed during the ruckus so that passengers wouldn't have to be cautioned about being on the lookout for unrecovered bits of lead.
"My daughter saw the pirates out our window," passenger Edith Laird from Seattle in the US told the BBC News website in an e—mail from the ship. "There were at least three RPG that hit the ship, one in a stateroom four doors down from our cabin," she said.
Amazing how "RPG" has entered the American vernacular all the way out to Seattle. Must be the result of all that Homeland Security training we've been getting. Just let those Jihadis try anything in the good ol' U.S. of A!
At least we're ahead of the Brits in that department for passenger Norman Fisher, 55, from Hampstead Garden Suburb in London, said he had seen some of the attackers while stating that one had "some kind of rocket launcher." How unprofessional is that description?
The attack was warded off by the use of a loud on—board acoustic banger that worked as advertised by convincing the rascals they were under fire. Maybe we should try that in Iraq?
In any case, this seems to set a new standard in luxury cruise pastimes.
Wonder what Disney has up its sleeve? Or should I say in its hold?
Dennis Sevakis 11 05 05
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