Hijacked ship may be freed
2006-04-05 13:06
Seoul - South Korea said on Wednesday that it had set up a task force to seek the release of their fishing vessel that was captured by pirates off the coast of Somalia.
According to the foreign ministry, the 361-ton 628 Dongwon was seized on Tuesday afternoon by eight armed assailants, who approached in two speed boats firing guns.
Foreign minister Ban Ki-moon said that all 25 crew members being held captive were confirmed safe. The captain and some of the crew members had been allowed to phone company headquarters and their families in South Korea.
According to the ministry, the crew included eight South Koreans, nine Indonesians, five Vietnamese and three Chinese.
S Korea send letters to Somali
Ban said: "We are still trying to figure out the identity of the kidnap group and they have yet to suggest conditions for negotiations. We are devoting all possible efforts for the crew's safe return."
Ban said that South Korea had sent letters to governments of Somalia and neighbouring Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia, asking for their co-operation in facilitating the crew members' release.
The ministry said on Tuesday that two other South Korean fishing vessels in the area called for help, and nearby American and Dutch naval ships tried to intervene, but gave up after the seized ship entered Somali territorial waters.
Pirates kill one, hurt 5
Jeff Breslau, spokesperson for the US Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain, said after the South Korean vessel turned toward Somali waters, the US and Dutch ships tried to intercept it and fired warning shots in its direction.
He said that members of the South Korean crew were seen on the deck with guns pointed at them, so the intercept effort was broken off. The seized ship was now at a port in northeastern Somalia.
It was the latest in a series of incidents off the coast of Somalia. On March 18, two US Navy ships exchanged gunfire with suspected pirates, killing one and wounding five.
No US sailors were injured. Somalis involved in that incident later claimed they were patrolling Somali waters to stop illegal fishing after the US ships fired on them.
- AP