GIGN assault cargo ship near Corsica

[Galileo]

BASTIA, France (AFP) - Helicopter-borne French troops launched an assault on a French cargo ship that had been seized by striking workers to protest the privatisation of a state-owned ferry company, an AFP reporter saw.

Five troop transporter helicopters swooped on the mixed cargo-passenger ship Pascal Paoli as it tried to enter the port of Bastia on the Mediterranean island of Corsica, black-clad commandos rappeling to the deck of the ship.

The vessel had been taken over Tuesday in the mainland port of Marseille amid rioting by ferry workers.

About 30 masked but unarmed men from the Union of Corsican Workers (STC), believed to be close to a Corsican independence movement, had overpowered the 40-strong crew of the Pascal Paoli, which had been docked in the port and had no passengers on board.

The assault by French troops followed two days of violence over the sale of the debt-ridden National Corsica Mediterranean Company (SNCM) to a French investment group, with clashes earlier Wednesday between police and supporters of the striking ferry workers.

The unrest broke out Monday night in Marseille on France's Mediterranean coast. Riot police there intervened with tear-gas to clear port entrance gates after groups of masked men set fire to pallets and set up barricades.

[AROUETLJ]

Is the GIGN supported by a particular ALAT unit?

[Galileo]

At the French radio I hear that the assualt was conducted by GIGN, an unit of the Commando de Marine and 6 helicopters from the army and the navy but there is little informations about this assault at this time except the duration less than 60s between start of the assault and complete securing of the ship.
Just wait few hours for more news.

[juju]

It seems that the Commando Marine were in charge of the control of the ship itself, the GIGN was in charge of the "pirates".
The choppers seems (from what I saw) to be "Super Frelon" from Marine Nationale.

[AROUETLJ]

They look like Puma to me.

[Galileo]

This is Puma on the photo
http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/*******_molt/3066368015.jpg
http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/afpji/20050928/050928092129.doa3gfk61_des-helicopt-res-deposent-des-hommes-du-gign--le-2b.jpg
http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/afpji/20050928/050928092129.doa3gfk60_assaut-du-cargo-de-la-sncm--le-28-septembre-2005--b.jpg

[juju]

They look like Puma to me.
You're right, I saw a pic from a different angle, after I found it back, and carefully look at it, the choppers ARE Super Puma.
:oops:

[zulu261]

At the French radio I hear that the assualt was conducted by GIGN, an unit of the Commando de Marine and 6 helicopters from the army and the navy but there is little informations about this assault at this time except the duration less than 60s between start of the assault and complete securing of the ship.
Just wait few hours for more news.


Looks like a big vessel so you think 60 seconds are enough to secure the whole thing? Just an example, if somebody is hiding in the machine room...its impossible to reach it within 60s from the roof...

[Galileo]

All the Pirates where on the upper deck, there were a TV team on the boat and I saw no resistance on the TV, it was a soft assault.

[Uncle Chô]

This event is an absolute farce.

The "pirates" were warned during the night by the French authorities an assault was to be launched at 8:00am.

The Puma and Super Puma/Cougar were gathered in a hurry from the local Air Force and Army Air Wing units.

The media said it is GIGN (similar to the FBI HRT) but there is not enough operators on call and ready within 18 hours to group 40 to 50 men (the numbers vary according to some source).

The Men In Black are most probably a mix of the Commando Marine "Groupe de Combat en Milieu Clos", a very small group that only train in Maritime Counter Terrorism, together with Commando Hubert and some other GIGN operators for legal purpose as the Gendarmes are Law Enforcement Officers.

The Government will highly advertise this operation (there was a TV crew aboard the ship!) to show "how strong" are the French authorities (BS!) and the "pirates" will be released in a few days with minor charges, as usual when it comes to French Unions and Corsica...

[Michael RVR]

At the French radio I hear that the assualt was conducted by GIGN, an unit of the Commando de Marine and 6 helicopters from the army and the navy but there is little informations about this assault at this time except the duration less than 60s between start of the assault and complete securing of the ship.
Just wait few hours for more news.


Looks like a big vessel so you think 60 seconds are enough to secure the whole thing? Just an example, if somebody is hiding in the machine room...its impossible to reach it within 60s from the roof...

Securing the ship doesn't neccessarily mean they've checked every space.. I know guys that were in the CDTs and you'd be surprised at how fast you can take over a ship. p-)

[Upfrontreporting]

http://images.bt2.metropol.dk/302/302856/302856_large.jpg



source: www.bt.dk

[Yosy]

I don't want to bash the french - there's enought of that mindless **** going on on the net already - but this was a joke. The "pirates" were harbour or ship workers that took over the ship to protest against the privatization of their company. They were unarmed and put up absolutly no resistance to the french commandos. The ship was without any passengers by the way.

That wasn't all. In a Corsican harbour there were also protests, this time with the pro-independence people joining the party. The anti-riot police was mobilized.

[thibaud]

of course it's too much

but it's a goo way to show that we could answer quickly to any threat.

remember the "ACHILE LAURO" and the hijack of a air france aircraft.

it' s easy for terrorist to attack cruise ship in the mediteranean sea or a line ship(Alger to Marseille)

thank's to the STC for this good training p-)

[khukuri]

I don't want to bash the french - there's enought of that mindless **** going on on the net already - but this was a joke. The "pirates" were harbour or ship workers that took over the ship to protest against the privatization of their company. They were unarmed and put up absolutly no resistance to the french commandos. The ship was without any passengers by the way.

That wasn't all. In a Corsican harbour there were also protests, this time with the pro-independence people joining the party. The anti-riot police was mobilized.

x2 this is totally ridicilous, and it will backfire, "putting commandos against strikers".

[Inconnu]

.

[abncougar]

This event is an absolute farce.

The "pirates" were warned during the night by the French authorities an assault was to be launched at 8:00am.

The Puma and Super Puma/Cougar were gathered in a hurry from the local Air Force and Army Air Wing units.

The media said it is GIGN (similar to the FBI HRT) but there is not enough operators on call and ready within 18 hours to group 40 to 50 men (the numbers vary according to some source).

The Men In Black are most probably a mix of the Commando Marine "Groupe de Combat en Milieu Clos", a very small group that only train in Maritime Counter Terrorism, together with Commando Hubert and some other GIGN operators for legal purpose as the Gendarmes are Law Enforcement Officers.

The Government will highly advertise this operation (there was a TV crew aboard the ship!) to show "how strong" are the French authorities (BS!) and the "pirates" will be released in a few days with minor charges, as usual when it comes to French Unions and Corsica...

really? you think so? cause i think most CT teams would have operators on call always! and 18hrs is long time.

[Olybrius]

It was GIGN (confimed by french M.O.D.)
the GIGN has 2 teams of 15 men always under alert . One of the 2 team must be ready within 30 mn.

http://www.gign.org/structure-du-gign/organisation.php

[Enduring Freedom]

More pics from www.bt.dk

http://images.bt2.metropol.dk/302/302866/302866_picture_gallery_large.jpg

http://images.bt2.metropol.dk/302/302870/302870_picture_gallery_large.jpg

http://images.bt2.metropol.dk/302/302860/302860_picture_gallery_large.jpg

http://images.bt2.metropol.dk/302/302872/302872_picture_gallery_large.jpg

[Sharp]

http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/afpji/20051002/051002054756.tktcee2n2_des-opposants---la-privatisation-de-la-sncm--face-b.jpg


BASTIA (AFP) - Un policier en civil a été blessé à l'arcade sourcilière samedi en début de soirée à Bastia à l'issue d'une manifestation contre la privatisation de la SNCM qui avait réuni dans le calme des milliers de personnes dans l'après-midi.

Le fonctionnaire a été blessé lors des échauffourées qui ont éclaté lorsqu'une trentaine de jeunes, cagoulés ou masqués, ont jeté des pierres contre les forces de l'ordre peu après 17h00, après l'ordre de dispersion.

Le policier, souffrant d'une arcade sourcilière "cassée ou fendue", a été conduit à l'hôpital, selon un responsable de la police.

Selon un témoin, le premier a été poursuivi par une vingtaine de jeunes encagoulés jusqu'au Vieux-Port, se retrouvant acculé au bord de l'eau. Le groupe l'a alors assailli, roué de coups de pied et de poing et précipité à terre, le visage ensanglanté.

Des adultes sont intervenus, demandant au policier de se jeter à l'eau pour échapper à ses agresseurs, ce qu'il a fait avant d'être recueilli par les pompiers, selon ce témoignage.

http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/afpji/20051002/051002054756.tktcee2n0_une-vedette-des-douanes-dans-le-vieux-port-de-bastb.jpg


BASTIA (AP) - Une vedette des douanes françaises a vraisemblablement fait l'objet d'un tir de roquette samedi soir, alors qu'elle était amarrée dans le vieux port de Bastia, a-t-on pu constater sur place. Il n'y a pas eu de blessés.

L'explosion a été entendue quelques minutes avant 23h. Le bateau, immatriculé DS26, d'une longueur de 25 mètres environ, présentait un trou d'un diamètre d'une trentaine de centimètres à l'avant au niveau du poste de pilotage, d'où s'échappait encore de la fumée.

Un périmètre de sécurité a été mis en place par la police et les pompiers. Les services de déminage étaient attendus sur les lieux.

Les échauffourées, provoquées par une cinquantaine de jeunes masqués, se poursuivaient à 19h dans les rues étroites du centre-ville et sur le vieux port de Bastia où les forces de l'ordre faisaient usage de gaz lacrymogènes. Un CRS âgé de 25 ans a été gravement blessé à la tête lors de ces affrontements et transporté à l'hôpital.

http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/afp/20051002/capt.sge.ncy47.021005045856.photo02.photo.default-380x249.jpg

http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/afp/20051002/capt.sge.ncy47.021005045856.photo00.photo.default-380x253.jpg

http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/ap/20051001/capt.bas11610011857.france_corsica_protest_bas116.jpg

http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/afpji/20051001/051001195411.9yk36vhq0_un-policier-en-civil-est-agresse-par-des-jeunes-geb.jpg

Where was from the cops, based in Corsica?

[soma]

Nice looking cargo ship.

[Inconnu]

http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/afpji/20051001/051001195411.9yk36vhq0_un-policier-en-civil-est-agresse-par-des-jeunes-geb.jpg

Police owned :x

[Navy]

very disturbing pic with the civil police there. Anyone know if he made it? i saw some photos on *****images very disturbing.

anyone know what the conflict is about?

[Tielir999]

This event is an absolute farce.

The "pirates" were warned during the night by the French authorities an assault was to be launched at 8:00am.

The Puma and Super Puma/Cougar were gathered in a hurry from the local Air Force and Army Air Wing units.

The media said it is GIGN (similar to the FBI HRT) but there is not enough operators on call and ready within 18 hours to group 40 to 50 men (the numbers vary according to some source).

The Men In Black are most probably a mix of the Commando Marine "Groupe de Combat en Milieu Clos", a very small group that only train in Maritime Counter Terrorism, together with Commando Hubert and some other GIGN operators for legal purpose as the Gendarmes are Law Enforcement Officers.

The Government will highly advertise this operation (there was a TV crew aboard the ship!) to show "how strong" are the French authorities (BS!) and the "pirates" will be released in a few days with minor charges, as usual when it comes to French Unions and Corsica...

really? you think so? cause i think most CT teams would have operators on call always! and 18hrs is long time.

ya 18hrs is a long time How long is FBI HRT 4 hrs or sumthin?

[AROUETLJ]

anyone know what the conflict is about?

It started as a trade dispute when the Corsican ferry company SNCM (Societe nationale Corse-Mediteranee) was being privatized (Societe nationale shows that it is a government-owned company). The workers obviously don't agree with that because of fears of job losses. Then of course, this being a Corsican affair, the Corsican nationalists chipped in, and that's when things turned violent. And the ferry workers' union is quite pro-nationalist. There have been rocket attacks against police stations and Customs patrol boats. So the GIGN intervention might appear as an over-reaction by the authorities, but you have to see it in a wider context. The last thing the authorities want is to have riots and bombs in the streets, while a ferry is hijacked, with Corsican nationalist groups causing trouble. So the ferry has been taken care of, at least.