Pirates hijack ship off Somalia

[KBay84]

Pirates hijack ship off Somalia

Several ships carrying UN food aid have been hijacked
Pirates have seized a cargo ship off the coast of Somalia, local officials have confirmed.
They said the Maltese-registered ship, Pagania, was attacked late on Wednesday as it sailed from South Africa to Europe with a cargo of iron ore.

The hijackers are reportedly demanding a $700,000 (£394,000) ransom for the release of the ship and its crew, all believed to be Ukrainian.

More than 20 ships have been seized or attacked in the area since March.

The International Maritime Bureau - which records such attacks - has recently advised ships "to keep as far away as possible from the Somali coast".

A UN-chartered ship carrying food aid to tsunami victims in northern Somalia, the MV Semlow, was released this month, after being held by hijackers for 100 days.

'Crew unharmed'

Andrew Mwangura of the Seafarers' Assistance Programme from Kenya's port of Mombasa said the vessel was seized some 167km off the Somali coast.

RECENT HIJACKINGS

MV Miltzow: 12 Oct - 14 Oct
MV Toregelow: 8 Oct
Ibnu Batuta: 26 Sep - 3 Oct
MV Semlow: 27 June - 3 Oct


Somalia's dangerous waters

"They are demanding $700,000," Mr Mwanguara told the AFP news agency.

Officials in Somali's capital, Mogadishu, confirmed the incident.

A spokesman for the Ukrainian foreign ministry was quoted by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency as saying the ship's 22-strong crew were all Ukrainian nationals.

The spokesman, Dmytro Svystkov, said that contact with the ship's captain had been established and all the crew were unharmed.

International maritime officials say Somali waters are some of the world's most dangerous.

Somalia's transitional prime minister has recently asked neighbouring countries to send warships to patrol the coast.

Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4363344.stm

I hope we sit this one out...we definately don't need another Blackhawk Down.

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by KBay84

Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4363344.stm

I hope we sit this one out...we definately don't need another Blackhawk Down.

I hope so too. We tried and look what happened. No more American blood in that God forsaken place.

[Snowden]

Somalia and Indonesia - piracy is on the rise, it seems. Not a happy thought.

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by Snowden

Somalia and Indonesia - piracy is on the rise, it seems. Not a happy thought.

Piracy never left the area unfortunately.

[DocDiggs]

Originally Posted by Woodmonkey

Piracy never left the area unfortunately.

Very true. Actually the Straits of Malacca are much worse for piracy. This is such a narrow strip of water and the shipping volume is so great that ships there are picked off almost routinely.

I really do not think we want to get involved with policing international waters unless perhaps if one of our navy ships happens along duing the fact.

[KBay84]

Originally Posted by DocDiggs

Very true. Actually the Straits of Malacca are much worse for piracy. This is such a narrow strip of water and the shipping volume is so great that ships there are picked off almost routinely.

I really do not think we want to get involved with policing international waters unless perhaps if one of our navy ships happens along duing the fact.

Well, from personal experience, our warships travel that route to get to the Gulf. Once again, there are more nations than just the U.S., and its high time that the rest of the world shoulder some of the burden instead of castigating us every time we try to straighten things out. Can it be that we agree on something????

[DocDiggs]

Originally Posted by KBay84

Well, from personal experience, our warships travel that route to get to the Gulf. Once again, there are more nations than just the U.S., and its high time that the rest of the world shoulder some of the burden instead of castigating us every time we try to straighten things out. Can it be that we agree on something????

If you're asking me, why not? I'm "game" if you are!

There are several sovreign nations in the Indian Ocean and the Straits that certainly should have the ability to better police their own waters. Not to do so seems foolish. It pretty much gives permission for the piracy to continue.