Pirates seize Malaysian tanker

2008-08-20 09:08

Eileen Ng

Kuala Lumpur - Armed pirates seized a Malaysian tanker with more than 20 crew in the Gulf of Eden off the coast of Somalia - the fourth hijacking in a month, a global maritime watchdog said Wednesday.

Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting centre in Kuala Lumpur, said the centre picked up a distress signal late on Tuesday and immediately notified Western naval ships patrolling the area.

A warship was sent to intercept the tanker, which was heading toward Somalia territorial waters, he said.

"We have had no communication with the vessel so far. The distress call was relayed through another ship but the tanker has been confirmed seized by pirates," Choong said.

Choong said the Malaysian tanker was carrying palm oil from Indonesia to Europe when it was attacked but it was unclear when the raid took place.

"This is the fourth hijacking in a month ... We call upon the UN and the international community to take immediate steps to stop the worsening situation," he said.

Once the ship enters Somali waters, pirates are likely to demand ransom for the release of the vessel and the crew, he said. He declined to give further details, citing concern for the crew's security.

The Gulf of Aden, where many of the attacks take place, 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 23 in the Gulf. A Nigerian vessel was later hijacked, followed by a Thai cargo ship with 28 crew members earlier this month.

Somalia is the world's biggest 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. But its 3 025km coastline - the longest in Africa - remains virtually unpoliced.

Ships have been urged to stay more than 200 nautical miles from the Somali coast, Choong said.

- AP