Pirates seize Maltese-flagged ship off Somalia
Pirates earlier today hijacked a Malta-flagged cargo ship carrying a crew of 15 Georgians and three Turks in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia, the European Union's anti-piracy mission said.
A US warship deployed a helicopter to check on the ship after several unsuccessful attemps to make contact with the Olib G, a 6,375-tonne vessel, the EU mission said in a statement.
"The helicopter was able to identify two pirates on board," the EU Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR) said.
The ship had been sailing west in the internationally recommended transit corridor, an area where international navies coordinate the patrol of maritime transits, the statement said.
Lieutenant Colonel Per Klingvall, an EU NAVFOR spokesman, said the vessel was heading south towards Somalia's northern coast. The EU mission is tracking the ship by radar, he said.
It was impossible to ascertain the condition of the crew or whether more pirates were on board, Klingvall said.
"We can't tell because we can't establish contact with the ship," he told AFP. "There might be more pirates. We can't see inside the bridge."
Foreign naval powers have deployed dozens of warships since 2008 in a bid to secure the Gulf, a crucial maritime route leading to the Suez Canal through which tens of thousands of merchant vessels transit each year.
Maltese troops took part in an anti-piracy operation with the Dutch Navy earlier this year.
Pirates have gradually extended their area of operations, seizing ships as far east as the Maldives' territorial waters and as far south as the Canal of Mozambique.
Naval missions have boasted success in curbing pirate attacks but the number of hijacked ships and detained sailors remains at one of its highest levels since Somali piracy surged in 2007.
Unofficial figures show 2009 was the most prolific year yet for Somali pirates, with more than 200 attacks -- including 68 successful hijackings -- and ransoms believed to exceed 50 million dollars.
At least 23 foreign vessels with more than 411 crew members are still held by pirates, an organisation monitoring piracy, Ecoterra International, said in its latest report on August 31.
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Tommy Lee
Sep 9th 2010, 09:58
Would never have happened when Britannia ruled the waves.
Sean Grima
Sep 9th 2010, 11:20
people travelled on donkeys in those days!
Joseph Ellul - Sydney
Sep 9th 2010, 05:38
This pirating business going on in Somalia is a status quo that favours the west, poitically.
There are warships from the US, Russia, Britian, Germany and some others. It is very handy to be relatively near to Iran with an excuse of these pirates.
With modern navigation techniques by satelite, microwave and radar there can be no escaping a laser missile on the sea surface. It takes less then 10 minutes from report to response and attack. These pirates can be vapourised in 15 minutes flat.
There are more than pirates in that area. Think and think hard.
Joseph Ellul - Sydney
Sep 9th 2010, 05:25
These pirates only attack "soft " targets. They do not attack North Korean, Iranian or Israel shipping. Why ? Because these shipping lines do not adhere to the international law of noncombattant policy. The crews on these ships are mostly ex military and armed with heat seeking shoulder held missiles Most other ships only carry a few hand guns and maybe a rifle. These pirates operate from mother ships that attack with fast boats that are equiped with high-reach ladders, RPG's and heavy automatic rifles.
On the other hand, these pirates offer long term employment to the attackers with a high degree of survival or quick release if caught. The ransom money is used very efficiently to pay for medicine, transport, food and arms. It also helps the local farmers who supply catt to chew and keeps the local brothels well stocked.
This is the start of a stable society. Where war has failed, kidnapping is working. It is wrong but it is a fact. Very few people die and if the maritime companies pay up they get their ship and crew back.
Western countries seem to have adjusted to this state of affairs.
Emmanuel Azzopardi
Sep 9th 2010, 02:04
Hemm xi haga stramba rigward din is-sitwazzjoni. Hemm area kbira fejn jaghmlu patrol dawn il-vapuri tan-navy, ie fl-Indian Ocean u fil-Gulf of Eden. Imbaghad fil-bidu tar-Red Sea fejn hemm kosta tas-somalja ma' tantx jindika li jaghmlu patrol. L-iskiffs tal-pirati kienu qishom hargu ghal-kacca, tisthajjilhom hyenas wara xi giraffe. Tarhom easy u qishom sitting ducks. U meta tqis din il-high technolgy kollha tal-lum tghid imma xinhu jigri.
Kieku l-vapuri jippikjaw marine soldier jew tnejn sakemm jghaddu minn din l-area jkun ferm aktar cheaper ghal-kumpanniji, insurance u navies, u aktar safe ghal crew.
Li tara stramb kif ma' jinqabdux aktar vapuri.
Gerard Cassar
Sep 8th 2010, 19:46
Where are these ships held?In a secluded place that connot be reached from the ground.
Planes could locate them not mentioning satelites. There must be a problem for the international community!
Jesmond Micallef
Sep 8th 2010, 19:13
Can't merchant vessels organise themselves into escorted convoys within this region, somehow ? Tend to think that this would offer better protection against this rising menace of the high seas. !! What about
Please choose the reason of your report below: