MV Powerful
{{short description|Danish cargo ship attempted piracy 2008}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
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{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= |Ship caption= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=Denmark |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Denmark}} |Ship name=Powerful |Ship namesake= |Ship owner=Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd., Greece |Ship operator= |Ship registry=Denmark |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched=4 September 1993 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship commissioned= |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification= {{IMO Number|9042233}} |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship captured=*Hijacking attempt thwarted,
|Ship fate=Scrapped 21 January 2015 |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship type= Panamax dry bulk carrier |Ship length= |Ship beam= |Ship height= |Ship draft= |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion= |Ship speed= |Ship range= |Ship endurance= |Ship boats= |Ship capacity= |Ship crew= |Ship notes= }} |
MV Powerful is a Danish-flagged cargo ship owned by Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. of Greece. It was attacked with the intention of hijack by Somali pirates using assault rifles on 11 November 2008 in the Gulf of Aden off the Horn of Africa. Its capture was thwarted by the Royal Marines of the British frigate, {{HMS|Cumberland|F85|6}}, as well as the crew of a Russian {{sclass|Neustrashimy|frigate|1}}.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/11/13/somalia.pirates/index.html|title=Ship escapes pirate attack off Somalia, Russia says|date=November 20, 2008|publisher=cnn.com|access-date=2008-11-21}}
The 11 November 2008 incident off Somalia's coast occurred {{convert|60|nmi|lk=in}} south of the Yemeni coast, in the Gulf of Aden. The pirates approached the vessel in a dhow, but were repelled by helicopters from the British and possibly Russian ships. The dhow was later detected by the Cumberland, and a unit of Royal Marines gave chase in a rigid craft. The pirates fired upon the Marines; the Marines returned fire and killed two pirates. The remaining pirates surrendered and one additional pirate died of injuries sustained in the conflict. The engagement was attributed to Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa and was described by The Times as "the first time the Royal Navy had been engaged in a fatal shoot-out on the high seas in living memory."{{cite news | last = Crilly | first = Rob |author2=Evans, Michael | title = Royal Navy in firefight with Somali pirates | newspaper = The Times | date = 2008-11-12 | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article5141745.ece | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081123234848/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article5141745.ece | url-status = dead | archive-date = 23 November 2008 | access-date = 2008-11-14}}
See also
References
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{{Piracy in Somalia}}
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Category:Cargo ships of Denmark
Category:Maritime incidents in 2008
Category:Cargo ships of Greece
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