Friday, June 12, 2009
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Somali pirates have hijacked a German-owned cargo vessel off the coast of Oman in what appears to be the first such assault in the area. The MV Charelle was attacked 60 nautical miles south of Sur on the Omani coast, NATO Lieutenant Commander Alexandre Fernandes said aboard NATO's Portuguese warship Corte-Real.
As many as 14 ships are currently being held by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. More than 200 seamen -- nearly a quarter of them Filipinos -- are also held by the Somali outlaws. Dozens of ships seized by Somali pirates have been eventually released after the owners paid tens of millions of dollars in ransom.
Despite an increased NATO naval presence off pirate-infested waters of Somalia, ships and aircraft are unlikely to be close enough to provide support to vessels under attack.
Somali pirates are trained fighters who frequently dress in military fatigues and use speedboats equipped with satellite phones and GPS equipment. They are typically armed with automatic weapons, anti-tank rocket launchers and various types of grenades.
Piracy off Somalia, one of the world's busiest shipping areas, and other coasts of Africa has increased sharply over the past year, earning the pirates millions of dollars in ransom and pushing up maritime insurance rates.
Last year, Somali pirates banked more than USD 120 million after hijacking dozens of ships and demanding ransom for their release.
Source: Press TV, June 12, 2009