Q Ship Bags the Bad Guys

OK, so it wasn't a real Q ship, but it is the concept at work when pirates confuse the FS Somme (A631) for a commercial ship.

Somali pirates in two skiffs fired on a French navy vessel early Wednesday after apparently mistaking it for a commercial boat, the French military said. The French ship gave chase and captured five suspected pirates.

No one was wounded by the volleys from the Kalashnikov rifles directed at La Somme, a 3,800-ton refueling ship, French military spokesman Rear Adm. Christophe Prazuck said.

La Somme "was probably taken for a commercial ship by the two small skiffs" about 250 nautical miles (290 statute miles) off Somalia's coast, Prazuck said.

"They understood their mistake too late," he said.

One skiff fled, and La Somme pursued the second one in an hour-long chase.

"There were five suspected pirates on board. No arms, no water, no food," Prazuck said.

I have always dismissed the Q-ship as a waste of time and resources fighting piracy, but since this isn't even the first time pirates have made this kind of mistake, maybe I was wrong?

There was an IMB alert earlier this week a mothership was sighted towing two skiffs near the Seychelles. I wonder if these were the same pirates identified in the alert.

For the record, FS Somme (A631) has a top speed of 19 knots and ran these guys down, suggesting tactical speed for ships is not a major factor in dealing with these very low end asymmetrical threats.