Two ships seized off Somalia
2008-08-21 14:05
Kuala Lumpur - Armed pirates hijacked a Japanese-operated tanker and an Iranian ship off the coast of Somalia on Thursday, the latest in a series of attacks in an area known for its lawlessness.
The attacks followed the seizure of a Malaysian palm oil tanker with 39 crew in the same area late on Tuesday, and raised the number of ships hijacked in the Gulf of Aden since July 20 to six.
In the first incident on Thursday, pirates "continuously fired" on the Iranian bulk carrier before boarding and commandeering it, said Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau in Kuala Lumpur.
Less than an hour later, the Japanese-operated tanker with 19 crew was attacked and seized near the same location, he said.
Choong said there has been no communication so far with either vessel, but a multi-coalition naval force in the area has been informed and is "taking action". The naval force includes the US, France, Germany, Pakistan, Britain and Canada, which currently holds the rotating command.
No other details were immediately available.
"In 48 hours, three ships have been attacked and hijacked by armed pirates. It is coming to a very dangerous stage," said Choong, who heads IMB's piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur. "We urge the UN and the international community to take serious action to stop this menace."
The IMB also issued an urgent warning to all ships in the Gulf of Aden to maintain a strict watch.
The Gulf of Aden connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, forming one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
Choong said pirates seized a Japanese-owned cargo ship with 20 Filipino sailors on July 20 in the gulf. A Nigerian vessel was later hijacked, followed by a Thai cargo ship with 28 crew members earlier this month, and the Malaysian ship on Tuesday.
Negotiations were continuing in the first three cases after pirates demanded ransom for the release of the crew, he said. The pirates in the Malaysian hijacking have not contacted authorities to demand a ransom, he said.
Piracy hotspot
Somalia is the world's piracy hotspot, with 24 reported attacks in the first half of this year.
The impoverished country has not had a functioning government since 1991 and foreign vessels are frequently seized for ransom by pirates armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers and automatic weapons, making it difficult and expensive to deliver aid.
In June, the UN Security Council voted to allow international warships to enter Somali waters to combat the problem.
Ships have been urged to stay more than 200 nautical miles (368km) from the Somali coast, Choong said.
- AP