A swell story

[Greyhawk]

I want the ending of this story to be true. That's just one reason I don't think it is.

The canister full of cash was parachuted onto the Sirius Star - observed by the U.S. Navy who provided these images - and the two-month ordeal of the 25 crew, including two Britons, was finally over.

However things went badly wrong for the pirates soon after the drop - they squabbled over how to split the money and then a wave washed off their getaway boat and drowned five of them.

The canister full of cash was parachuted onto the Sirius Star - observed by the U.S. Navy who provided these images - and the two-month ordeal of the 25 crew, including two Britons, was finally over.

However things went badly wrong for the pirates soon after the drop - they squabbled over how to split the money and then a wave washed off their getaway boat and drowned five of them.

The pirates originally wanted more than £16 million to release the boat and its £65 million load of oil. Eventually they accepted the offer of $3million (around £2million).

But as they made off they continued to row about the payout.

'Two of them swam and survived. One is still missing.

The weather was so terrible that it blew the boat over, then sank it.

We got five dead bodies and we are still searching for the missing one. The waves were disastrous,' said Farah Osman, an associate of the gang.

It is not known what happened to the money or those who survived.

Other reasons I question the veracity of the report: the only claim that they were drowned in "weather ...so terrible that it blew the boat over" is from "an associate of the gang".

And this picture...

...shows a fairly laminar surface, with no storms on the horizon.

Not saying that's conclusive, mind you, (f'rinstance, weather can change...) just that it raises doubt.

Update: Somali pirate who drowned just after receiving a huge ransom washed onshore with $153,000 in cash

More - conflicting accounts:

Abukar Haji, uncle of one of the dead pirates, blamed the naval surveillance for the accident that killed his pirate nephew Saturday.

"The boat the pirates were traveling in capsized because it was running at high speed because the pirates were afraid of an attack from the warships patrolling around," he said.

"There has been human and monetary loss but what makes us feel sad is that we don't still have the dead bodies of our relatives. Four are still missing and one washed up on the shore."

Pirate Daud Nure said three of the eight passengers had managed to swim to shore after the boat overturned in rough seas. He was not part of the pirate operation but knew those involved.

"Here in Haradhere the news is grim, relatives are looking for their dead," he said.

If it's any consolation, I suppose it's possible they didn't drown and instead were eaten by sharks. If anyone knows Mr Nure or Mr Haji, please pass that on.

I kid. Still, all the evidence that they are dead comes from statements of friends, neighbors, and relatives. You'd think the Navy could confirm...

And more - Time cites the source of the death reports:

According to the account by the Somali-based news site Somaliweyn Media Center, the pirates had been "singing in colorful tone, and exchanging some ridiculous words" while motoring back to shore in bad weather, when one of their skiffs capsized. Five pirates are believed to have drowned, and four survived but lost their booty. The body of one pirate washed up with a bag containing more than $150,000 in cash — a fortune by Somali standards. The pirates' grim end even resulted in some small-scale redistribution of wealth: "Pastoralists traveling along the shore have slowly collected dollars floating on the surface of the sea, and some brought by the ebb tide to shore," read the account on the Somaliweyn site.

Last of the Breed

[Greyhawk]

The last of the Nimitz class aircraft carriers is the only carrier to be named for a carrier pilot.

Quick background on said pilot's flying career here. A book on the topic (by Flags of Our Fathers
Author James Bradley) here.
.

What Happened?

[Andi]

The Army apologizes for the "Dear John Doe" letters.