Danish warships supply security for Somalia bound food aid shipments

It’s finally come to this. In order to get food aid shipments to Somalia’s starving citizens, warships are required to deter piracy off the Somalia coast:

Bristling with heavy machineguns and computerised grenade launchers, the HDMS Thetis with its crew of Danish marines is shepherding vital food aid through one of the world’s most dangerous waterways.

In the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia, pirates have attacked several vessels in recent months carrying relief supplies to the anarchic Horn of Africa country, holding the ships and their crews for ransom.

The United Nations has appealed for rich nations to help it get humanitarian aid to impoverished Somalis, and the militaries of France and Denmark have answered the call.

It’s a sad day when even much needed aid shipments are being targeted by pirates. Of course, if they weren’t making money hand-over-fist ransoming cargo and crew then it wouldn’t be so popular, but hopefully the presence of a few warships here and there will not only ensure aid shipments make it to port but possibly deter attacks on other vessels. One can only hope.

We’ve talked a lot about Somalia and their pirate infested waters before. See here, here, here, and here.