1. On February 18, 2011, a U.S. registered sailing vessel with 4 us citizens on board was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea, 282nm se of sur, Oman.  During negotiations for release of the vessel, the 4 us citizens onboard were killed.

2. The extreme hazards of operating off the coast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea south to the Mozambique channel and east to the coast of India, requires immediate education of the risk to any U.S. registered pleasure vessel operating in these waters or U.S. citizens planning to transit these areas on foreign flag registered pleasure vessels.

3. A special notice to mariners warning vessel operators of this risk has been released through the navcens website (http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/) and through district local notices to mariners.  The special notice has been provided to national boating federation, nasbla, us sail, boat us, us power squadron, and other boating/yachting enthusiast groups to post or link through their web sites or publish in their newsletters, twitter-facebook or blog posts, or monthly magazines.

4. Oceangoing sailing vessel rallies and U.S. pleasure vessels involved in circumnavigation voyages may be unaware of the extreme risk to life and vessels operating off the east coast of Africa.  The subject ntm was specifically released to reinforce these important concerns and to provide contact information to directly support the sailor in that they may have or plan voyages through these high-risk waters. The widest dissemination of this ntm to the public and us registered ocean yacht operators is imperative.

5. District and unit recreational boating specialists, and unit auxiliarists should ensure widest dissemination/education of this ntm and take every opportunity to meet with  yachting center managers and  post/distribute the subject document directly to yacht operators/owners who could be planning future circumnavigation voyages.

6. Comdt ( cg-54222 ) poc: mr. Joseph caro, 202-372-1068.

7. Radm kevin cook, director of prevention policy, sends.

8. Internet release authorized.

Bt

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