Topic: Armed Guards?

David Cameron has announced that all ship sailings under the British flag should be armed when sailing off the Somalia coast, they are thinking of issuing licences to enable British ships to carry armed guards, which at the moment is illegal.

Would you feel safe or would it make you feel uncomfortable. CG

When we were on the Red Sea Magic cruise in 2009 we had armed guards with us on all excursions, did we feel safer ? too right we did.
I think this idea is long overdue.............

Yes, This would make me feel safe. I would not consider that part of the world unless I knew that armed guards were aboard.

Are there any British ships left to arm ? Perhaps he has not noticed that it's cheaper to flag in the Bahamas

Although it does make you feel .......errr - safer (unless you begin to think about being caught in crossfire or some such) I never feel comfortable about seeing armed guards. However, in this day and age, it would appear they are becoming a necessary evil.

All airports have them - and Sniffer Dogs etc.....that I can understand but I do not like having to see them. They look so menacing clutching their machine guns and staring at everyone.

The Somali Pirates have stepped up their kidnapping attempts and any 'success' they have will encourage others to do likewise. The Indian Ocean must have what looks like rich pickings. If this directive helps to keep passengers and crews safe and discourages this practice then it makes sense to be able to fight back.

There have been a few stories about tourists from cruise ships being targeted for robbery in the Caribbean - even an Excursion minibus being hi-jacked but - that is rare and, I suppose, different in a way. The Caribbean Islands depend heavily on the income from Cruise Ships and anything that would 'rock that boat' is swiftly dealt with by their own Law and Order enforcers.

The criminals all have guns so unfortunately the 'good guys' now need them too!

QUOTE:

The criminals all have guns so unfortunately the 'good guys' now need them too!

Precisely, I am not a violent person but we live in a dangerous world so it sensible to take appropriate action to minimise the risks.

QUOTE:

The criminals all have guns so unfortunately the 'good guys' now need them too!

yes it will also mean jobs for the lads who want to /been made redundant from the Rms and SBS

Shoot first and sink their boats. that will stop them.

In 1994 I was on a cruise in the Caribbean when we had to go to the aid of a "vessel in distress". The vessel turned out to be a home made raft carrying 9 Cuban men. We watched as ladders were dropped over the side and the men were taken aboard one by one. There were guns trained on the men all through the rescue and we could see sharks circling the raft, all in all a distressing experience. I suspect most of us have sailed on ships carrying armed security without giving it a second thought.