British Pensioners Fight Off Pirates With Deckchairs
ON the high seas, British pensioners are doing battle with Somalian pirates.
To the MSC Melody off the Seychelles:
“Some passengers saw the pirates approaching and sounded the alarm.”
Games!
But the security guard had seen them already. The passengers were taken to their cabins, with lights off,” Sarah Longbottom of MSC Cruises told AFP on Friday.
“Mr and Mrs Rowlands were on the deck. Beryl Rowlands threw deck chairs at them,” she said, adding that the ship had about 1,000 passengers and 500 crew on board.
If the pirates can assemble a deckchair – a wet deckchair, mind – in five minutes or less without trapping their trigger fingers the beige booty is theirs.
The owner of MSC Cruises, Gianluigi Aponte, praised the way the ship’s crew and passengers dealt with the attack. “We are very proud that our crew proved to be able to promptly tackle the emergency.
“At the moment of the attack, the ship was 600 nautical miles (1,111 km) from the Somalian coast, in an area that is not considered dangerous, and 180 nautical miles (333 km) from Seychelles.”
If the pensioners are taken prisoner can they still claim their pensions? Best ask Somali pirate captain, Long John Brown –
Ian and Jessie Moakes from Mansfield, central England, were on the MSC Melody to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.
“Some holidaymakers threw tables and chairs to repel the pirates,” Moakes, 62, a retired police officer, told the Sun newspaper. “It could have been much nastier. There were bullet holes in the ship.”
What’s needed are some windbreaks to paint with the HRT and crossbones and hoist aloft.
Pensionaaaarrrss are you ready?
Posted: 23rd, May 2009 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
