MSC Melody German Thwarts Pirate Attack With Deckchair

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/John-And-Barbara-Jeffrey-Win-Claim-As-Deckchair-Attack-Repels-Somalia-Pirates-From-MSC-Cruises-Ship/Article/201105115986451

A British couple has revealed a German passenger on their cruise ship thwarted a Somali pirate attack by throwing a deckchair at the machine gun-toting outlaws.

Pirates have attacked cruise ships and merchant ships off the Somali coast

Retirees John and Barbara Jeffrey were on a once-in-a-lifetime trip from South Africa to the Mediterranean when bullets were sprayed around and Mr Jeffrey suffered two separate injuries from blasts.

They were with a group socialising on deck late at night when they first spotted a small boat following their liner, then looked on in horror as a pirate attached a rope to a lower deck and began shinning up it.

The holidaymakers threw everything they could at the man and he finally fell into the sea when the German hit him with a flying deckchair.

Congratulations to the German passenger!

Original incident happened in 2009.

The story published is a follow up to that for a passenger who was injured in the attack who has just settled a compensation claim with MSC.