‘Ghost Ships’ That Switch-Off Their GPS Tracking Are Raising European Terror Fears

Sierra Leone-flagged Ezadeen vessel, carrying hundreds of migrants, is towed by the Icelandic Coast Guard vessel Tyr in rough seas in the Mediterranean sea off Italy's south coast in this handout provided by the Icelandic Coast Guard January 2, 2015. REUTERS/Icelandic Coast Guard/ Handout

The Australian/The Times: ‘Ghost ships’ spark European terror fears

Hundreds of ships are sailing into European waters after suspicious manoeuvres near terrorist hot spots, prompting fears that they are smuggling people and weapons with impunity.

An investigation by The Times has uncovered how cargo ships and other large vessels routinely switch off GPS tracking so that they can disappear, falsify their identification or veer off their usual course.

Figures compiled by Windward, a maritime data and analytics company, revealed that in January and February 40 ships entered Europe from Libya, close to where Islamic State is operating, after “going dark” by ceasing transmission of their location. Twenty vessels travelled through Syrian or Lebanese waters and made dubious stops for up to six hours before reaching the Continent. This amounts to hundreds of ships a year if the data is extrapolated.

Read more ....

Update: 'Ghost ships' en route to UK raise terror fears by 'going dark' (IBTimes)

WNU Editor: If you are shutting down your GPS tracker .... especially near terrorist hot spots .... you are either avoiding people who are there that may be a threat to you .... or you avoiding European authorities because you do not want them to know that you were in such a zone. Either way .... these fears are justified.