Latest news with #pirates
Times
4 days ago
- General
- Times
After freezing dead Somali pirates running ports company will be plain sailing
Clearing a food freezer for the bodies of dead pirates isn't a typical day at work for most people. For Captain Susan Cloggie-Holden, it was a grim necessity while sailing off Somalia, and just one of many 'salty sea tales' from a career that has taken her around the world. A passion for messing about in small boats on the River Clyde as a teenager morphed into supporting peacekeeping operations in hostile seas, as well as being chased by elephant seals on a remote island in the South Atlantic. Thankfully the 42-year-old did not inherit the seasickness that made her father feel queasy, even when using the Renfrew ferry. Cloggie-Holden has just become the first woman to be group harbour master at Peel Ports Group after a decorated career in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). In the RFA she was also the first female to become a commanding officer when in 2021 she took charge of Tiderace, a replenishment tanker for Royal Navy warships. Raised in the Drumchapel area of Glasgow, Cloggie-Holden found her calling when she joined the Sea Cadets in Clydebank. 'Pretty much every summer I used to spend on boats somewhere,' she said. 'I think I gave my parents an easy ride because they didn't see me all summer, I'd come home, get my washing done, pack my bag and go off again.' A two-week stint on the tall ship Stavros S Niarchos as it sailed from Greenock to Aberdeen cemented her ocean ambitions. By her fifth year at Bearsden Academy she had decided against university and was set on going to Glasgow College of Nautical Studies to prepare for a life on the waves. The choice between Royal Navy and merchant navy came down to practicalities. 'I'll be honest I don't like sharing toilets and showers, I quite like my own space,' Cloggie-Holden said. 'I spent about three days on HMS Somerset and absolutely hated every minute of it because there was 27 people sharing the same space and I had a locker the size of a kitchen drawer. 'So I thought maybe I don't really want to live like this.' While the RFA is staffed by civilians it provides support to the navy and its vessels have defensive weapons. Cloggie-Holden was on ships that supported operations against the Taliban in 2001-02, worked with the Iraqi navy in 2006-07, engaged in counter-piracy off Somalia in 2008-09 and supplied Royal Navy vessels off the coast of Libya in 2011. In the Gulf of Aden, between Yemen and Somalia, she was tasked with communicating with vessels that were being approached by pirates. 'They used to attack at sunrise and sunset and we found that having a female voice on the other side of the [radio] was actually quite calming for the crew of the merchant vessels,' she said. 'I used to chat to them, tell them what to do, how to evade the pirates. 'One of the warships that was out there, they boarded a vessel and the pirates basically pointed guns at them. The Royal Marines, as you can imagine, don't like having guns pointed at them. 'We ended up taking the pirates on board, we had two dead ones and nine living ones on the ship and took them into Kenya. 'I was telling someone the other day, we just had to clear the freezer and put two pirates in it and then we had to do a burial at sea.' Cloggie-Holden acknowledges life at sea can be dangerous, but says one trip, from Plymouth to Florida, in December 2011 was her worst. She said: 'We got absolutely battered. We had a storm from pretty much every direction as we crossed the Atlantic. 'We were taking damage, a wave came over our poop deck and ripped loads of guardrails off, we lost some mooring lines, it flooded a few cabins, we lost our port-side navigation lights one night. 'Nothing got done on that ship on the way across, we just had to protect our people and get across there as quickly as possible. 'It's probably the only time at sea that I thought 'this is a little bit hairy, this is not very comfortable'.' Travelling the world, Cloggie-Holden often came up-close-and-personal with wild animals in their natural habitat. While sailing around the island of South Georgia, she and her crew saw penguins and were chased by elephant seals. 'I think when you're at sea you see things that you take for granted,' she said. 'More stars than you will ever see when there's any sort of light pollution. Just sitting on a flight deck at midnight you see that sort of stuff — like dolphins, whales, flying fish, plankton blooms.' The maritime industry is still very male dominated — one report by the International Maritime Organisation suggests women account for just 1 per cent of seafarers. But Cloggie-Holden is working to change that. In 2021 she received the Merchant Navy Medal for her efforts to improve the gender balance in the industry. Cloggie-Holden says she had to work harder to prove herself in her early days. One incident, when a senior colleague made a lewd comment in a bar suggesting her most recent promotion was because she was a woman, stands out. 'I said 'you can do one',' she recalls and there was an apology to her about the incident the following morning. But the onlookers in the bar who didn't know her might have taken the words as true and 'that's the comment that females at sea don't need'. Having achieved the dream of becoming a captain of a vessel her more recent RFA work included being captain of port operations. That meant auditing ports around the world where the Ministry of Defence has an interest and the switch opened up the possibility of more time spent on dry land. There was also a 'huge' change going on in her personal life at that time, as her husband Peter Holden, a retired RFA captain who previously commanded the helicopter training vessel Argus, became seriously ill with cancer. He died in February and Cloggie-Holden said: 'He knew I was coming here [to Peel Ports]. 'He said it's the best decision you've ever made, and actually I had a new adventure ahead of me.' The Peel Ports role, where she will oversee the operations at Clydeport on the River Clyde, the Port of Liverpool and London Medway, is exactly that, an adventure. As the person in charge of all maritime operations such as vessel traffic, navigation, safety, security, harbour services and pilotage it is not going to be a 'cushy nine to five job'. 'I've got enough working life left in me that this is a second career. I've had my career at sea, this is now my career in ports,' she says. Outside work she has taken up curling and is soon to try padel. She added: 'I've decided in life since I started with Peel, since I lost Peter that I'm just not going to say no to anything new. 'So when someone says 'Do you want to go and do that?' Yeah, let's do it.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
A Legendary Ship Vanished With $138 Million in Treasure. Two Explorers Say They Found It.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: Archaeologists from the Center for Historic Shipwreck Preservation discovered a 1721 shipwreck off the coast of Madagascar. The Portuguese ship was overtaken by pirates in a known piracy region. The ship was loaded with gold, diamonds, and emeralds when the pirates attacked. When famed pirates overtook a Portuguese ship in 1721 once laden with treasure (now valued over $138 million), the battle went well for the pirates, who eventually sank the ship off the coast of Madagascar. A pair of American archaeologists now claim they've discovered the final site of the lost vessel. Known as the Nossa Senhora do Cabo—translated as Our Lady of the Cape—the ship left India with a Portuguese viceroy and the Archbishop of Goa, 200 slaves, and treasure aplenty. Pirates were ready and Olivier 'The Buzzard' Levasseur led an ambush of the ship near Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean with a fleet of pirate ships aiming to take down the larger Portuguese ship. Already tossed about by a storm, the pirates easily took control of not only the ship, but the treasure aboard, eventually sailing it roughly 400 miles west of Reunion Island before ditching it in what is now Nosy Boraha——then known as Ile Sainte-Marie. After 16 years of searching off Madagascar's northeast coast, American archaeologists Brandon Clifford and Mark Agostini from the Center for Historic Shipwreck Preservation wrote in Wreckwatch magazine they discovered the wreck and over 3,300 artifacts. While not confirmed beyond the two archaeologists, Clifford told Live Science the identification is 'supported by multiple lines of evidence,' including analysis of the ship itself and how historical record and artifacts found at the site match the ship's history. The loot—dubbed 'an eye-watering treasure, even by pirate standards,' according to the hunters—would fetch at least $138 million in today's money, they pair claimed, with records noting gold and silver bars, coins, silks, and more than 400 gemstones, including 110 diamonds and 250 emeralds, part of the ship's store, as reported by ZME Science. Denis Piat, in his 2014 book 'Pirates & Privateers in Mauritius,' wrote the ship carried blocks of gold and chests crammed full of pearls, Live Science reported. The find came some 400 miles from the site of the historic attack, the archaeologist said, near the harbor of Nosy Boraha. It took more than a decade of sonar and remote sensing to locate a ship on the seafloor. From there, they team found a bevy of artifacts, including religious statuettes and plaques—some of the Virgin Mary and others honoring 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews'—the experts believe were likely created in Goa, India, and bound for use in Lisbon's cathedrals. The team also found plenty of pottery fragments and Arabic-inscribed gold coins now buried under the sand and silt of the seafloor. Of course, the bulk of the treasure never made it to the bottom of the sea. The feared 'The Buzzard' and his crew picked off much of the value. They eventually ransomed the viceroy and some of the valuables back to Lisbon, although the historical record has no account of the fate of the 200 slaves or the archbishop. Known as the Golden Age of Piracy, the island once known as Ile Sainte-Marie was a pirate hotbed thanks to the calm waters and freedom from colonial authority, according to ZME Science, and dozens of pirates made the island a launching point for patrolling the shipping channels. Clifford said that there could be as many as 10 ships wrecked around the island and he believes at least four are in the same harbor as the Nossa Senhora do Cabo. 'The site has historically been overlooked by researchers,' Agostini said, 'and so there's ample room for more discoveries that give us a glimpse into the past.' He hopes to make it happen. 'Ideally,' Agostini told Live Science, 'future fieldwork will lead to more analysis of the many wrecks there.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Say They've Found a Legendary Pirate Ship, Rewriting History
Archaeologists say they have discovered a legendary pirate shipwreck off the coast of Madagascar. The findings were announced in a research article by Brandon A. Clifford and Mark R. Agostini of the Center for Historic Shipwreck Preservation in Massachusetts. "This study presents archaeological evidence supporting the identification of a unique 18th-century shipwreck at Îlot Madame, off the coast of Sainte-Marie Island, Madagascar, as the Nossa Senhora do Cabo, a Portuguese treasure ship captured by pirates Olivier Levasseur (La Buse) and John Taylor in 1721," they wrote. Levasseur was "a French buccaneer colloquially known as La Buse or 'The Buzzard' for his swift and predatory tactics, remains one of the most enigmatic figures in the captivating history of piracy," Discovery Channel UK notes. According to the Golden Age of Piracy, the capture of the Nostra Senora della Cabo was a famed heist that saw the two pirates "capture a massive Portuguese treasure ship sailing out of the city of Goa. The massive 700-ton ship was carrying the Bishop of Goa, also known as the Patriarch of the East Indies along with the retiring Viceroy of Portugal. They were both returning to Lisbon with all of their wealth and artifacts when the ship was damaged in a storm." What's the evidence? "Artifacts recovered from the site include exported Chinese porcelain, religious artifacts of Goan origin, coinage, cowrie shells, and construction materials consistent with Portuguese East Indian design," the researchers wrote. "The archaeological assemblage recovered from the site corresponds with historical descriptions of the Cabo's cargo, route, and subsequent refit and final renaming by La Buse as the Victorieux." Their findings are rewriting history. "Our interpretation of the site as the Cabo, supported by archaeological evidence and historical accounts, overturns contradictory narratives about the fate of the vessel. For example, one account reports how the ship was wrecked at Cape Amber," they wrote. "Rather, our investigations align with competing recollections that instead the vessel was eventually abandoned, and likely partially burned, at Sainte-Marie. Broadly, this archaeological case study presents novel insights into piracy, global trade, and colonial power in the western Indian Ocean," they added. The area was a haven for pirates. le Sainte-Marie, located off the northeast coast of Madagascar, "occupies a central place in the maritime history of the western Indian Ocean. Its natural harbor, relatively protected from monsoon systems and regional currents, made it a strategic node for both legitimate trade and illicit maritime activity during the 17th and 18th centuries," they wrote. "Although the island had been known to Arab mariners since at least the 12th century, it was not until the so-called Golden Age of Piracy (1650–1725 CE) that Sainte-Marie emerged as a significant base of operations for European pirates, including figures such as Henry Avery, William Kidd, Christopher Condent, and Olivier Levasseur." Archaeologists Say They've Found a Legendary Pirate Ship, Rewriting History first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 11, 2025
The Sun
10-07-2025
- General
- The Sun
Lost 300-year-old ship carrying £101M worth of treasure sunk in pirate raid is FOUND off the coast of Madagascar
ARCHAEOLOGISTS have uncovered a 300-year-old shipwreck laden with treasure worth up to £101 million. The ship - believed to be the Nossa Senhora do Cabo - was sunk by pirates off Madagascar in 1721 during one of the most infamous raids in history. 7 7 The Portuguese vessel was transporting cargo from Goa, India, to Lisbon, Portugal, when it was raided. The treasure ship is believed to have been attacked on April 8, 1721, by pirates led by Captain Olivier "The Buzzard" Levasseur, during what historians call the Golden Age of Piracy. The raid became one of the most notorious of the era due to its staggering plunder - thought to be one of the richest pirate hauls in history. An estimated 200 enslaved people were also onboard at the time, though their fate remains unknown. The ship was a heavily armed, state-owned carrack, making its capture all the more humiliating for the Portuguese Empire. After 16 years of investigation, researchers at the Center for Historic Shipwreck Preservation found the wreck in Ambodifotatra Bay, near the island of Nosy Boraha, off Madagascar's northeast coast. More than 3,300 artefacts were pulled from the site, including religious figurines, gold ingots, pearls and treasure-filled chests. One ivory plaque is inscribed with gold letters reading 'INRI', the Latin abbreviation for "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum" - meaning 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews', as recorded in the Roman gospels. Brandon A. Clifford and Mark R. Agostini, marine archaeologists from Brown University behind the find, described the haul as "an eyewatering treasure, even by pirate standards". They estimate the cargo alone could be worth more than £108 million in today's money. 7 During the period that the Nossa Senhora do Cabo sailed, Portugal controlled key trade routes between India and Europe, transporting valuable goods from its colonies back to the Portuguese mainland. Besides carrying spices and precious stones, the ship also transported enslaved people, who were forced to work on plantations, in ports and in mines throughout the empire. Because of their valuable cargo and human freight, ships bound for Europe were prime targets for pirates, who could sell both goods and enslaved people for huge profit. The discovery comes as researchers say they found a centuries-old Spanish galleon stacked with a £16bn treasure trove. The San Jose, which was sunk by the British in 1708, was long thought to be lost beneath the Caribbean waters. But academics in Colombia believe that a wreck found near Baru Island in 2015 is in fact the long-lost galleon. An underwater drone mission a decade ago captured images of the cargo scattered in and around the shipwreck. Among the items recovered were silver coins minted in Lima in 1707, Chinese porcelain from the Kangxi period and cannon inscriptions dating back to 1665. 7
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Full list of events for kids at STACK Middlesbrough this summer
STACK Middlesbrough is planning a summer of pirates, puppets and parties to keep youngsters entertained during the school holidays. The leisure venue created from 25 shipping containers says there will be everything from magic shows and dancing to interactive games. The fun will begin on July 23 when Magician Marvin takes to the stage with tricks, balloon modelling, juggling and puppeteering in the first of three appearances this summer. The following day - July 24 - will see a celebration of Bluey with performances, meet and greets, activities, an interactive disco, games and colouring. There will also be street food to enjoy. READ MORE: A visit to hidden gem North Yorkshire beach with free parking that will delight dog owners READ MORE: North Yorkshire seaside pub's huge Sunday roast complimented by thoughtful staff The rest of the summer will see: On July 30 children can take to the high seas with a pantomime pirate show courtesy of Winkle and Storm, who will whisk them away on a "swashbuckling journey filled with laughs, fun and entertainment" for the whole family. On July 31 there is A Celebration of Blippi with the chance to learn and enjoy interactive games and songs and meet and greet in tribute to the energetic entertainer who shot to fame on YouTube Island vibes arrive at STACK on August 7 with A Celebration of Stitch. There will be Hawaiian themed dancing, interactive stage games and the chance to meet and greet the little blue alien Magician Marvin returns to STACK on August 5 and 26 with two further shows by Winkle and Storm on August 6 and 20 On August 14 there is an Ice Extravaganza - a fun-filled morning of singing, dancing and entertainment in tribute to Disney's Frozen On August 21 STACK will be taken over by superheroes for a family event "filled with high-energy interactive fun". Children are urged to come dressed as their favourite hero and prepare to save the day with non-stop entertainment and photo opportunities. On August 28, STACK Middlesbrough will round off its programme with a special Kids Fest End of Summer Party with dancing, bubbles, games, non-stop fun and music for youngsters and their families. STACK Middlesbrough opened in December at the undercroft where the A66 flyover meets Exchange Square. All shows take place between 11am and 12.30pm and tickets are only required for those aged between two and 12. Tickets are priced at £1.50 and £2.50 and are available here. For the latest local news in your area direct to your inbox every day, go here to sign up to our free newsletter
