In my view, it appears that the capitalistic developed international communities (and the oil-rich "Saudi Arabian" kings, queens, princes and princesses) appear to view and take for granted the Somali's as a discarded nation to be trampled over. I regard the pirates as heros.

Sergie Ganas, Johannesburg, South Africa

If we do nothing but avoid the problem or wait for some far off political solution the situation will get progressively worse and more people will die. A robust response is required - if piracy becomes becomes a life threatening and unprofitable enterprise it will cease to be attractive.

Mark, Berkhamsted,

Why can't we just send a gunboat like we did in the past? Nobody worth bothering about is going to mind and a few dead pirates and their supporters is the best possible deterent.

John Foster, Monmouth,

We'll if we'd just approve the pirate bailout package all would be well again !

Nick, Bedford, UK

You have got to love theses pirates, working on one of the worlds most patrolled pieces of water. It can´t be that easy for them to capture ships day and night.

neil, Deia,

Let Israel handle it. Plane or ship, no difference, most likely.

Mike, Dallas, USA

To patrol a large area with naval vessels is costly and there are hundreds of miles of ocean they can operate in so its ineffective, why not bate them with a tempting target such as a cargo ship full of empty containers with a full crew of royal marines armed with javelin anti tank missiles!

Dom, yeovil, England

The "shoot them up" brigade need to remember and take account of the safety of the 200 seafarers currently held hostage.
The pirates are operating a rolling system of capturing fresh ships and crews as ransomed vessels and crews are released.

Norman Martin, Oban, UK

i whish the pirates good luck in negotiating! the world needs genuine entertainment once in a while. if armies are allowed to invade countries, their is no harm in pirates seizing a massive oil tanker.

h gulzar, redbridge, essex

Admiral Mullen's view that the pirates are "very good at what they do". Hijacking a 318,000-tonne tanker is incredible. These guys are super human lol!!! They are armed villagers and they are holding a tanker hostage. This says something about some one trying to drive up the oil prices to me....

Jack Sparrow, india,

Whilst an international task force may indeed be a good solution to curbing the Piracy itself, Private Mercenaries are not, and the Navy knows it.

Kazuki, Tokyo, Japan

I think, we have only one way to stop this and to avoid something like these attacks in the future. We have to seize these pirates and cut their hands. In addition to it if we seize the head of group of pirates we must clip him into small pieces. If we do it we ought to leave these pieces and pirate

Rurik, Kiev, Ukraine

Why not, as they did in the West Indies in the 18th century, place a bounty on each of the pirates heads and allow the Navy to share in the profit of the sale of any Pirate boat or craft captured? Then the RN will have an incentive to not only stop piracy but actually capture the pirates themselves!

Kevin, Chelmsford, UK

These guys may be pirates to most of the world. But to locals in Somalia - who see how foreign fishing fleets have taken advantage of the absence of govt in Somalia to plunder its fish stocks and see how unscrupulous shipping firms dump toxic waste on their shores - view these pirates as heroes!

Michael, London,

Send in the guns and ammo and kick some butt, its about time we showed them whos boss.

Rambo would be in there and would sort it!!

Hank , Kentucky, USA

A ship by ship resonse will not prevent piracy, nor would the use of armed guards do anything more than result in the sinking of the ship and loss of life.
The situation is comparable to the North Atlantic U-boat menace which was counteracted by convoys. Hot pursuit is also essential.

M Clement Hall, Guelph, Canada

jim, it would be the SBS but i agree. enough of this. We know were they are, they've commited a crime, lets go in and take these ships back for their owners!

Kyle , Glasgow, scotland

Since the pirates approach methods bring their vessel close to the prize ship - why not a few marines on each high value vessel with missiles - then blow the pirates out of the water when they indicate their demands.

Once the word gets around attacks cannot succeed - the problem is solved!

trevor, shrewsbury, uk

Sending in the SBS may succeed in the short term but will eventually make these pirates change their tactics to become even more cunning and ruthless. Yes, the world must act decisively against them, but don't forget their land is a medieval horror and they have nothing to lose. Solutions anyone?

Conrad Auten, Dover, United Kingdom

Does the cost of having armed personnel on these ships with state of the art RPGs to blow up these thieves outweigh the cost of ransom and more importantly the crew's lives?

Nikhil Prasad, London, UK

If they know the pirate's base why not simply destroy it and any vessels found and seen heading there? If they cannot go to sea, they cannot commit piracy.

Bob, Cowes, UK

The speed of the pirate vessel has also increased aswell as the range. they now are capable of 23knotts. Due to there increased wealth they have got better boats.

pete, rochford, essex

Send in the SAS, show the world thats the Brits are still in the game.

jim, Newcastle upon tyne, tyne & wear

Maybe it's time to organise armed convoys as in WW2 when ships have to negotiate these waters or a total blockade on Eyl to box the pirates in. The Opec countries could buy fast-response boats and man them with ex-Marines and SAS personnel to escort vulnerable ships like this one, which would help.

Ian Dickson, Brighton, UK

The pirates are protected by UNCLOS which stops hot pursuit by naval vessels into Somalian teritorial waters. The answer to this mess is to change the law then naval vessels can pursue them.The area is vast and impossible to patrol, it just isnt as easy as 'blowing them out of the water'

Neil, Clitheroe, UK

The problem has built up because companies have been paying ransoms for years (hush hush) and finally these guys have started to amass such equipment and experience that they are able to take on a job like this.

I won't be suprised if they get away with it

Mark, Münster, Germany

Blow it up???

Don't be silly

Nick, Derby, England

Quite right Laurence!

sean dempsey, hoddesdon , UK

Its laughable that all those world navies can't stop this pirates, and why can't the shipowners arm their crews.

I imagine standing on top of a tanker this size with a rocket launcher and firing at tiny speedboat shouldn't be difficult even for an amatuer.

Ambrose, Jersey, UK

Piracy in the 21 st century is a joke.

chnarda, wallington, uk

Do we not have the US navy seals and British SBS to deal with this kind of problem. Since now oil is involved surely western governments should react to put down this threat and to deter any more.

steve, conwy, uk

Paying a ransom is just like rewarding them for their actions (hijacking). An encouragement & a confidence booster for those hijackers. If they keep paying them or bowing to their demands, then these crisis will never ends, instead it will blossom and breed into their next generation to follow.

Peter, Auckland, NZ

12 vessels and 200 shipmen still under capture from these pirates. I think we should send in a crack team of scuba divers to rescue them, led by the all mighty Aqua Man! saying that Aqua man isn't useful outside water. Anyway send in the navy! They do little these days.

Suneh, Coventry,

Hi
The problem in Somalia started long time ago. It reached its stage because the conflict in the horn of Africa. Inspite of pverty Ethiopians offer their genuine help which did not bring feasible solution, luck f money could be the case. I think organized state like Eritrea has involvement in it.

Tasew Dejene, London, UK

Blow it up and teach everyone a lesson so that the world is not held to ransom.

john, colchester, uk

It's time for a bit of serious action from our SBS force.

J Briggs, Huddersfield, UK

It's time for a bit of serious SBS action.

J Briggs, Huddersfield, UK

I disagree with Admiral Mullen's view that the pirates are "very good at what they do". Hijacking a 318,000-tonne tanker is total stupidity. Where did they think they were going to take it? Hide it? Or get away? They're now surrounded and the only way this is going to end is with the pirates in jail

Simon, London, UK

Kind of ironic.... A Saudi owned ship being the victim of a terror attack...It would only take blowing 2 or 3 of these ships up for these people to get the point. Piracy does not pay well!!!!!

Frank Thomas, Blount, USA

I find it hard to understand why all those battle ships are not doing anything about these hijackings. If this sent oil prices higher around the world, i'm sure something will be done about it. The longer we do nothing about it the longer we are fueling the war in somalia and sponsor to terrorism.

Adegbola , London, UK

Sir,

Why don't the shipping companies employ well armed security guards on their shipping routes through the gulf ?

Richard Sixsmith, Belgrade, Serbia

The more we pander to these common thieves the more brazen they get flouting international law. The African nations should form a coalition and take control of these waters. Why it is the western nations who have to take control again. Therell be no thanks and cries of interference no doubt

Chris, Merthyr Tydfil , UK

Lead in article says supertanker found of Somalia??? Its an unarmed super tanker-why couldn't they find it for a while-how does the navy, recon, satallite, etc, not watch a super tanker?

john, miami, usa

How ludicrous! Why are these tankers not armed? Why are
these pirates in speedboats not blown out of the water??
What disgusting stupidity!

oldjnani, Austin, United States

Send Steven Seagal in, he'll soon sort it out!

Laurence, Hemel Hempstead , UK