Laws and rules can't stop piracy, murder, kidnapping, or robbery anywhere, let alone on the high seas. There's only one effective way to stop pirates. Its the old fashioned way used since piracy began hundreds of years ago...the use of force against force. Our sniper Seal team and the MSC Melody Cruise ship proved that.
No matter the supposed good intentions, laws and rules never have stopped anyone who is really intent on committing violence, and they never will.
It would have been a prize worth millions in ransom; however, a band of Somali Pirates got a taste of dodging bullets themselves when an armed Israeli team aboard the MSC Melody fought back at the pirates attacking their cruise ship. While the crew doused the pirate boat with water cannon in an attempt to swamp it, and the Israelis shot handguns, the passengers did their part before by throwing deck chairs and everything not attached to the deck at the pirates and into the pirate's boat as they tried to board on grappling ropes. They soon retreated in shocked disbelief as chairs rained down and shots from the ship were heard. When it was over, the cruise ship had over 200 bullet holes. The pirates didn't care who was hurt or killed.
The cruise line should be congratulated on the forethought in having an armed and trained security team. An armed defense team makes more sense than disco night or karaoke in the lounge. If passengers on a cruise liner, the crew, and armed security teams can work together at fighting back against pirates intent on kidnapping before they can board and take over their ship, then it should be done by all shipping and cruises lines.
Some cruise lines use discreet security teams. This ship's captain had handguns on board to be distributed to the security team in case of an emergency like this. Many of those are composed of recently discharged Israeli army veterans.
Just as restrictive anti gun laws in America leave unarmed citizens vulnerable, maritime law and some port rules and regulations currently are aimed at deterring victims from protecting themselves at sea. Let the pirates wonder if they will be met with armed resistance and a bullet between the eyes from a determined effort from a big ship while plying their piracy trade from a small boat.
The current law leaves those on ships just as vulnerable as Chicago ordinances do for a jogger on a Chicago street. There is no down side to self defense from an armed attacker. The current ban on self defense at sea must end before there is more loss of innocent life.
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