The crew of MV Iceberg 1 have been released - but many seafarers still remain captive, and many other families await the release of their loved ones… many more seamen are still captive.
The Mariners Action Group exists to bring attention to victims of piracy, and to help survivors of piracy and their families find the help they need.
Join us! Lend us your strength, your wisdom, and your guidance - you can make a difference!
TO JOIN, CLICK ON THE GREEN BUTTON TO THE RIGHT, OR CLICK ON THE "MEMBERS" TAB, THEN ON THE BLUE "Sign Up" HYPERLINK. ADD YOUR WEIGHT TO THE MOVEMENT!
Posted by Reid Sprague, Thursday, January 10th, 2013 @ 9:28pm
Members, please check out the Forum under The Way Forward category for an important post that requires your attention! Thanks in advance for your consideration and wise advice.
Posted by Reid Sprague, Sunday, December 23rd, 2012 @ 9:39pm
I spent the day traveling, and on checking email when I arrived, found out that the Puntland forces which had surrounded MV Iceberg 1 for the last couple of weeks had finally managed to free the ship! No more details seem to be available at this time, but keep checking our website Piracy News page, and our Facebook page, for more updates.
And if you see anything you'd like to share, please post it on the Facebook page for all to see. This is big news - let's keep each other up-to-date! And God bless the former hostages.
Tell your friends - tell your shipmates. Let's push this for all we're worth!
This is the first of what we hope will be many petitions on behalf of the hostages. Other petitions can be directed to other targets, and can make additional points, so please let us know how YOU would word or direct a petition! We'll take all your comments into consideration to strengthen and sharpen future efforts.
Sign & spread the word - God bless you and the MV Iceberg 1 hostages!
Posted by Reid Sprague, Saturday, October 13th, 2012 @ 11:51am
Wanted to let everyone know that in future, the news items posted here will pertain only to the Mariners Action Group - news about our organization, our actions, or any events we might plan.
Posted by Reid Sprague, Sunday, October 7th, 2012 @ 3:27pm
I've no idea whether this will be good or not, but Danish writer/director Tobias Lindholm has made a film, titled "A Hijacking", that was praised in this review (see link) from the Venice Film Festival. The film is about negotiations during a Somali hostage situation.
In the film a ship - the "Rozen" - is hijacked by pirates. The action on board is seen through the character of the ship's cook, Mikkel. As negotiations drag on through weeks and months, conditions on board deteriorate and the pressure on the crew grows.
Here's a quote from the review: "Working effectively with the professional actors in the cast, meanwhile, real-life marine security expert Gary Skjoldmose Porter further boosts the general air of hard-knock versimilitude in a production which illuminatingly and sensitively dramatizes an easily-overlooked global crime phenomenon."
Posted by Reid Sprague, Friday, October 5th, 2012 @ 2:44pm
AnsarBurneyList 510 following • 4489 followers @taralphiel@rbss4 We have to request with NATO to take stern action against Somali Pirates to get release MV Iceberg1
(Ansar Burney's answer to a member's question about directing a Mariners Action Group petition. ~Reid)
Posted by Reid Sprague, Thursday, October 4th, 2012 @ 4:49pm
Just-released report on the impact piracy has on seafarers - those held captive, as well as those who simply live with the threat of piracy overshadowing their working lives. Here is the link: