Dolphins thwarted pirate attack on Chinese merchant ships -Reported to be Truth!

Dolphins thwarted pirate attack on Chinese merchant ships -Reported to be Truth!

Summary of the eRumor:
A forwarded email that says that pirates were thwarted by a megapod of dolphins as they were about to attack Chinese merchant ships in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Somalia.

The Truth:
Dolphins actually intervened in a suspected pirate attack in the Gulf of Aden, according to an April 14,2009 China Radio International (CRI) article. An armed Chinese fleet escorting the merchants might have also made the pirates reconsider their attack plan.

Attacks by pirates on commercial vessels off the coast of Somalia have been on the increase to the point that piracy is considered a major source of revenue to the poverty stricken nation. The pirates hold ships and crews for ransoms---sometimes in the millions of dollars.

According to the CRI article, the Chinese merchant ships, under the protected escort of the Chinese fleet, were met by suspected pirate ships as they sailed on the Gulf of Aden. Suddenly, a pod of thousands of dolphins leaped out of water between the merchant ships and pirates.

The article said, "The suspected pirates ships stopped and then turned away. The pirates could only lament their littleness before the vast number of dolphins. The spectacular scene continued for a while."

The Chinese fleet of three ships has assisted in trying to secure these dangerous waters off the Somali coast by escorting over 200 vessels. In the true spirit of seafarers they have responded to and rescued thee merchant ships under different flags from attacking pirates.

Click for article.

updated 04/20/09

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

Dolphins to the Rescue…against Pirates?!

Since we know God used a donkey to warn Balaam, and a fish to pay taxes, I guess we shouldn't be surprised by the help of dolphins!

Americans breathed a collective sigh of relief this past Sunday, in light of the daring and precise actions by US Navy Seals to rescue Captain Richard Phillips who was being held hostage at gunpoint by Somali pirates.

But the US Navy isn't the only force trying to ward off these terrorist attacks… dolphins are also lending a hand—or a fin, as the case may be.

According to a report by CRI.com, a Chinese merchant ship, which was traveling the same treacherous Gulf of Aden as the Maersk Alabama ship had, appeared to be coming under attack by Somali pirates in small boats.

However, as the pirates drew closer, thousands of dolphins suddenly began leaping out and back into the water—the dolphins were directly in between the pirates and the ship, preventing the terrorists from moving any nearer to the vessel.

The CRI.com report stated: "The suspected pirates' [boats] stopped and then turned away. The pirates could only lament their littleness before the vast number of dolphins. The spectacular scene continued for a while."

Yeah! God is for the Resue!!