One good reason to be US Flagged.

[Blue Heron]

Venezuela Holds U.S. Vessel And Crew On Suspicion Of Arms Trafficking - Forbes

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
"Lion et Albert".

 

[Larry M]

I'm not sure being a US flagged vessel helps since the US has a big target on it's forehead that Chavez likes shooting at. We tried last October to get insurance for Venezuelan waters. Only two companies would quote which Loyd's was one. The exclusions were impossible. The company we went with, would insure us only for the outer islands. As it was explained to us, politics. If we had a claim it could turn into an international incident and the insurance companies didn't want to get involved. We have heard first hand hand from several cruisers of different nationalities of the piracy, violence and of the corrupt officials that are plaguing Venezuela now but it is particularly dangerous for Americans because of the anti-American sentiment. It's to bad since Venezuela has beautiful cruising grounds.

 

[RickB]

I don't believe Albert is going to be come to a sticky end. There is little likelihood that there will be anything done outside some backroom deal and a payoff.

The Pueblo is a museum in North Korea, the Liberty has been forgotten in exchange for votes, and unlike the Mayaguez, we are not at war with Venezuela. The Maersk Alabama was lucky enough to be on the high seas with a USN force nearby and to NOT do anything was politically out of the question since our only justification for being there was to keep the sea lanes open for trade.

The "US Flag" on the stern of a ship means almost nothing in reality. The US long ago lost interest in maintaining or defending a merchant fleet. This incident only reinforces the fact that we are not the sleeping lion that should be respected or feared.

 

[dwhatty]

The Pueblo is a museum in North Korea, the Liberty has been forgotten in exchange for votes...

Well, not completely forgotten, at least by me. And certainly not by a small, but dwindling, group of survivors.

I was a crewman on the Liberty when she was attacked in June 1967 and was in the security spaces where the torpedo hit. I somehow managed to be first out the compartment's hatch scuttle with only my feet wet. The next guy out was wet to his neck. There were only a few more that made it out alive from that compartment. Lost a few friends.

Both of my wives (successive, not simultaneous) have occasionally had to restrain me from exiting the bedroom window in the middle of the night when I've relived that experience in my dreams.

A high school classmate of mine was on the Pueblo.

 

[FF]

The folks I know that cruise in the Med fly a German flag while at anchor,

regardless of their documentation .

The boat beggars wont bother a German boat.

 

[Northern Spy]

I was a crewman on the Liberty when she was attacked in June 1967...

Whoa!

 

[dwhatty]

Whoa!

If I recall correctly, I used a different word, or words, at the time.

 

[Capt. Joe]

Well, not completely forgotten, at least by me. And certainly not by a small, but dwindling, group of survivors.

I was a crewman on the Liberty when she was attacked in June 1967 and was in the security spaces where the torpedo hit. I somehow managed to be first out the compartment's hatch scuttle with only my feet wet. The next guy out was wet to his neck. There were only a few more that made it out alive from that compartment. Lost a few friends.

Both of my wives (successive, not simultaneous) have occasionally had to restrain me from exiting the bedroom window in the middle of the night when I've relived that experience in my dreams.

A high school classmate of mine was on the Pueblo.

I have a lot of respect for folks like you, even though I am a Hungarian Canadian.
As a three year old kid, I watched my father disappear with machine gun in hand in Budapest, 1953, as Russian tanks were rolling through our streets blowing buildings all to hell.
Thank you and let's hope for a better and smarter tomorrow!