EU Naval Force says 'NO!' to Gulf of Aden for leisure sailors

8:02 PM Sun 24 Oct 2010 GMT

'Pirate boat near Eyl' .

Naval commanders have accused yachters of putting themselves at needless risk of kidnap by organising convoys through the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden. Undeterred by the abduction of their fellow mariners Paul and Rachel Chandler last year, the convoys hope for safety of numbers by sailing in formation during the trip through 'Pirate Alley'. The perilous five-day, 650-mile journey between the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea saves a detour of thousands of miles via South Africa for yachts heading for the Mediterranean - and also offers the ultimate tale to tell in the clubhouse back home. But it has alarmed ...

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by SomaliSwiss/Sail-World Cruising