6 April 2009
In a new upsurge in piracy off the Somali coast, two more ships have been hijacked in the past two days.
The European Union's Maritime Security Centre reports that a 32,000 tonne Italian-operated bulk carrier was seized early Monday morning in the Gulf of Aden. "Few details are known at this stage, but the mixed nationality crew are believed to be safe," the centre said.
On Saturday the centre said a 20,000 tonne German container ship was hijacked 400 miles from Kismayo. "The attack was made by six men in a single skiff that was probably operating with other pirate vessels," the centre reported. "The 24-man crew is believed to be safe."
The new reports of piracy followed soon after the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Centre had warned of "a spike in pirate activity" off the east coast of Somalia. There had been 15 attacks in the region in March, the bureau said.
On the night of March 31, a chemical tanker successfully repelled a pirate attack. Two days earlier, pirates thought to have mistaken a German naval supply ship for a commercial vessel opened fire on the crew, setting off a chase in which forces from seven nations pursued and arrested seven suspected pirates.
Naval warships from the European Union and countries such as the United States, South Korea and China are patrolling shipping lanes off Somalia in an effort to combat the piracy.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2009 allAfrica.com. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
When Pirate ships are seen to be approaching other ships, they should be blown to kingdom come. Damned satanic idiots going on their demonic ways.
It is really annoying to say the least that these Somalis are wreaking their disorder on the rest of the world! Why don't you super pwers with all your arsenals torpedoe their little vessela surely you can spot them aerially or otherwise?
Secondly these people spend their money in neighbouring countries like Kenya where despite the depression housing is very expensive because of these guys who are buying and constructing property with the ill gotten loot. Catch them there again you have the intelligentsia work with the African governments along the Indian ocean. Deal a blow to these goons that they will never forget in a long time! God Bless all peace lovinh people of the world. We pray for the Captain.
Pirates must be blown off their heads.Greedy and uncivilised people,holding on emergency food supplies whilst the innocent children and woman suffer.
Tendai Sean joe
See all comments (47).
Active Discussions: Crisis Over Somali Pirates