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The Montecristo Italian cargo ship AP/Press Association Images

Hijacked crew rescued... after sending SOS message in a bottle

When pirates cut all lines of communication on a hijacked vessel, the ship’s crew turned to more traditional methods to get their message out.

THE CREW OF a ship hijacked by pirates on the Indian Ocean were rescued by Nato yesterday – after raising the alarm sending a message in a bottle.

The 23-man crew of the Montecristo, an Italian carrier, was stormed by pirates on Monday off the Somali coast. The crew managed to escape to an armoured area of the ship and continue to navigate the vessel, however the pirates succeeded in cutting all lines of communication – meaning there was no way of raising the alarm, the Guardian reports.

Fortunately, a Nato warship was nearby – having responded to a recent distress call from an Italian merchantman. The crew of the Montecristo tossed a message in a bottle out of a porthole, informing whoever it reached that they were out of harm’s way and it was safe to board.

Nato troops intercepted the message and boarded the ship, forcing the 11 pirates on board to immediately surrender, according to the  UK Ministry of Defence.

The BBC reports that the pirates will be handed over to the Italian authorities.

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6 Comments
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    Mute John Fahy
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    Sep 9th 2021, 6:43 AM

    They should just vote to dissolve the party before the electorate do it for them on election day.

    402
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    Mute Alan Wright
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    Sep 9th 2021, 6:20 AM

    Haha, “Fianna Fáil think-in”. Now there’s an oxymoron if ever I heard one.

    388
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    Mute HectorPickaxe
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    Sep 9th 2021, 7:49 AM

    It sounds to me that the report is focusing mostly on how to win votes, and not on how to improve our country. If politicians focused on bettering our nation, the votes would follow. Or am I being naive?
    Either way, FF are burying themselves while Martin is in charge. He couldn’t care less about the country, let alone the party, and in my opinion is just trying to ride out the time until he gets Taoiseachs pension. If FF have any hope they need to get rid of him. Or maybe it’s a good thing as he will be the end of FF at last

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    Mute Peter Jo
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    Sep 9th 2021, 9:32 AM

    @HectorPickaxe: well said

    65
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    Mute lilolil
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    Sep 9th 2021, 9:52 AM

    @HectorPickaxe: exactly right. How to stay in power at all costs, nothing to do with how to better the country … oh and how to squeeze the last drop of tax out of everyone!

    80
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    Mute Karl Harty
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    Sep 9th 2021, 7:28 AM

    A think-in? Or get everyone together to come up with ideas and excuses to deflect away from their disregard and incompetence of the job they are not doing well at?

    226
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    Mute Daniel Carry
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    Sep 9th 2021, 7:16 AM

    Just disband and regroup under a new name. The brand is dead.

    155
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    Mute Cloud Jellies
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    Sep 9th 2021, 7:24 AM

    The last time FF had a proper think in Sean Lemass was party leader…………

    124
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    Mute John Harkin
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    Sep 9th 2021, 6:32 AM

    No doubt it will be like a Party meeting from Orwell’s 1984.

    114
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    Mute David Van-Standen
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    Sep 9th 2021, 8:58 AM

    They spent the lifetime of the last government in a cosy arrangement with FG that was a quasi coalition, for the duration of the present government they are in an actual coalition with FG and the Greens, but today they are going to have a think in, to reassert themselves as an opposition party to fight the next election!

    The only people more deluded than these self-serving politicians in FF and FG, are the people that blindly vote for them in every election, without once holding them to account for their actions.

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    Mute Peter B
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    Sep 9th 2021, 7:36 AM

    There’s many political actions happening without thinking and much thinking happening without actions…If they can not resolve that conundrum there is hardly any point in a think in……I think.

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    Mute Neil Neart
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    Sep 9th 2021, 8:18 AM

    Too much dead wood in FF. They love giving the impression of doing constituency work but achieve little. Totally out of touch with the real issues of real people. Head office needs a clear out. Policy formulating processes comprise “give me an idea that sounds good” rather than any serious strategic evaluation of community needs. Style over substance. Micheal Martin has proven he is not a good leader, but may be the best of what exists within the FF Universe.

    84
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    Mute jp tobin
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    Sep 9th 2021, 8:28 AM

    They should have a party as it’s unlikely to have another opportunity ..FF the PDs of the next election…..

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    Mute Leonard O'mahony
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    Sep 9th 2021, 8:34 AM

    Barry Cowan….he hasn’t gone away, you know…

    69
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    Mute Marty Lawless
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    Sep 9th 2021, 7:39 AM

    The ff think in is taking place in fgs back pocket

    122
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    Mute Peter Jo
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    Sep 9th 2021, 9:36 AM

    Stopped voting for this gang after the crash along with the Greens.

    57
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    Mute Derek Lyster
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    Sep 9th 2021, 8:49 AM

    What a complete shambles of a party, they were bad going into gov. and with the fine leadership of MM they have managed to become even worse. Nothing but FG’s female dog’s

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    Mute Tim Quigley
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    Sep 9th 2021, 9:22 AM

    @Derek Lyster: Have you seen the alternative dog.

    18
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Sep 9th 2021, 10:45 AM

    @Tim Quigley: You mean F.G. Wonder will Varadkar and Coveney send messages of thanks to Martin for his unwavering support in trying to get them off the hook concerning Varadkar ‘s leaking of confidential government documents and Coveneys Zappone fiasco. The spineless Taoiseach Martin will need all the help he can get .

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    Mute Ross Mc Gann
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    Sep 9th 2021, 9:21 AM

    They’ll be using white envelopes instead of brown?

    41
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    Mute Eddie O'Neill
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    Sep 9th 2021, 11:07 AM

    Fianna Fail Think-In

    Cavan 9/9/21

    “How we get the power back and use that power to shaft every single citizen in the country by diverting taxpayers wealth to ourselves and our “partners”, also known as project “Feather My Own Nest”. We will achieve this by not investing in the Health Service, in Transport, in Justice or any other sector unless it has some benefit for the golden circle party members. Collusion with Fine Gael optional but not preferable. The Willie O’Dea model of hanging around for decades, achieving nothing and taking maximum “money, money, money” will be our main approach”

    35
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    Mute adrian j aungier
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    Sep 9th 2021, 10:41 AM

    FF traitors and turncoats. They will have to vote confidence in a FG Minister soon. How embarrassing is this going to be in the history of our State. A Civil war party endorsing a rival FG minister with a bad memory and a wonky phone. Don’t know on my door you cheating,immoral,unethical party.

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Sep 9th 2021, 10:50 AM

    What is their support level at this stage. 9-15% ?

    15
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    Mute UnitedPeople #StopCETA
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    Sep 9th 2021, 11:44 AM

    Unfortunately for Fianna Fail, they have little clue as to their own constitution, what the party now stands for at constitutional level, what constitutional differences there are between them and others – and on top of that, they have become synonymous with being attacked to Fine Gael.

    Mr Martin and his constant defence of his political foes, is certainly not helping. Let’s be honest. If he wasn’t in office with them, he and the whole Fianna Fail party would be up in arms many times over since January 2020 at the antics of Fine Gael members alone. Instead, now Mr Martin and his party are sucking up to their old foe, turning a now regular blind eye to their antics and being their lapdog.

    Fianna Fail fans and members might not like it – but the public sees this and more. It’s no wonder the Fianna Fail Party is declining in support. They doom themselves and do so in big part by still allowing their own top people to help dig the party grave.

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    Mute UnitedPeople #StopCETA
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    Sep 9th 2021, 11:48 AM

    @UnitedPeople #StopCETA: TYPO ERROR: * They have become synonymous with being ATTACHED to Fine Gael.

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    Mute leartius
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    Sep 9th 2021, 1:13 PM

    Rumours abound ‘The Paymaster’ himself has organised this sit down in Cavan.

    7
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