Tuesday, November 18, 2008

hijacked Saudi oil tanker Somali coast

Pirates have anchored a hijacked Saudi oil tanker off the Somali coast, as the spate of hijackings gathered pace with two more ships seized on Tuesday.
Vela International said all 25 crew on the Sirius Star - the biggest tanker ever hijacked - were said to be safe.
The vessel is carrying a cargo of 2m barrels - a quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output - worth more than $100m.
A cargo ship and a fishing vessel were the latest to join more than 90 vessels attacked by the pirates this year.
A 25-crew cargo vessel transporting wheat to Iran was attacked early on Tuesday in the Gulf of Aden while contact was lost with the crew of 12 on the fishing boat on Tuesday morning.



Somali media reports suggested the pirates had demanded a $250m ransom for the Sirius Star and its crew, but the supertanker's owners said they were not aware of any demands.

SOMALIA PIRACY

92 attacks this year - most in the Gulf of Aden
36 successful hijackings
14 ships currently held, including the MV Faina carrying tanks
268 crew held hostage
Source: International Maritime Bureau, 2008


Q&A: Somalia piracy
Rules frustrate anti-piracy efforts
Technology sets sights on piracy

Vela International said it was waiting for "further contact" from pirates aboard the Sirius Star, which was seized on Saturday 450 nautical miles (830km) off the Kenyan coast.

Negotiations for the crew's release could be costly and protracted, says BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner.

The pirates are a sophisticated group with contacts in Dubai and neighbouring countries, says the BBC Somali Service's Yusuf Garaad.

No comments: