Ancient ship faces pirates

Repro Phoenician boat sails Somali/Aden coast

The living history experimental boat The Phoenicia has sailed through the Gulf of Aden, the most dangerous leg of its historic trip around Africa.

The boat is a faithful reproduction of an ancient Phoenician trading vessel common in the Mediterranean around 500BC. Archaeologists believe that the trading people were the first to circumnavigate Africa, on behalf of an Egyptian Pharoah, during that period, opening a world of pioneering expeditions.

In terms of danger, the section by the Gulf of Aden is clearly the most risky today - probably even more so than it would have been 2,500 years ago. Pirate bands from Somalia and Aden regularly attack ships and take hostages in the gulf waters, and a primitive slow craft like the Phoenicia would have stood no chance against the light motorboats favoured by the modern buccaneer.

To evade detection, the boat hugged the coast and maintained radio silence at night, sailing without navigation lights through the busy shipping lanes. "We have also discovered that some vast container ships do the same - at least that was our experience last night. A worry if there is not a good lookout in such circumstances," said Expedition Leader Philip Beale.

Keep up with Phoenicia's progress at www.phoenicia.org.uk