The captain of a Virgin-Islands owned chemical tanker hijacked this week has died from gunshot wounds sustained when the ship was attacked, a Somali pirate said on Wednesday.

The was a pause in hijackings during monsoon rains, but the Somali sea
gangs have stepped up attacks in the past two months, especially off
the Seychelles as pirates extend their range to evade navies patrolling
off the Horn of Africa.

“The captain of the chemical tanker died last night from gunshot wounds
he got during the hijack,” a pirate who gave his name as Mohamed told
Reuters. “The ship is headed for Haradheere with the dead captain.”

The European Union naval force EU Navfor force operating in the area
said on Tuesday that pirates had seized the 22,294 DWT tanker MV
Theresa VIII 180 nautical miles northwest of the Seychelles with 28
North Korean crew on board.

The ship that is operated from Singapore had been sailing to the Kenyan
port of Mombasa but had turned round after being seized near the Indian
Ocean archipelago. EU Navfor said on Wednesday that pirates had also
attacked the same U.S. ship they hijacked in April this year.

The European force said gunmen opened fire on the Maersk Alabama with
automatic weapons on Wednesday morning, but a security detachment with
the huge container ship responded and the vessel managed to escape with
no casualties reported.

In April, the captain of the Maersk Alabama volunteered to board a
lifeboat with pirates in return for the safety of his 19 crew members.
He was held for several days aboard the lifeboat, which was closely
trailed by a U.S. warship.

The tense standoff ended when U.S. Navy snipers killed three pirates. A
fourth suspected gunmen was captured and taken to the United States to
face trial.

Somali pirates released a Spanish tuna fishing boat on Tuesday but are
still holding at least 13 vessels and more than 200 crew members
hostage.

Source: Reuters

Search to find what you want

• Bulgarian Expert: Somali Pirates Risk Cheaper than going around Africa

    It is disputable whether it is worth sailing all the around Africa to avoid the threat of Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden. This is the opinion of Captain Nikola Hristov, Chair of the Bulgarian Association of Ship Brokers and Agents regarding the issue of piracy off the coast

• No report of injuries or losses of the two abducted ships: IMF Officer

    There was no report about any injuries and casualties so far on the two ships kidnapped by Somali pirates on Monday, an officer of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said here on Wednesday.

• EU Naval Force: Somali pirates hijack Saudi Tanker

    Somali pirates have hijacked a Saudi tanker with 14 crew onboard, a spokesman for the European Union Naval Force said Wednesday. The Al Nisr Al Saudi usually carried fuel oil but was empty when it was taken in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, said Cmdr

• EU: Somali pirates hijack the North Korean freighter

    Somali pirates hijacked a North Korean cargo ship on Wednesday with an unknown number of crew on board, the European Union Naval Force said. The MV Rim was seized in the Gulf of Aden, outside the internationally recommended transit corridor patrolled by the anti-piracy naval coalition, said Cmdr

• Somali pirates to kill Syrian captain, ship rescued

    Somali pirates boarded a Panama-flagged ship heading for Mogadishu on Thursday and killed its Syrian captain after he refused to turn the vessel away from the port, officials said. “The pirates killed the captain after he refused to turn the ship. Usually, we send police when commercial ships draw near the

• Maersk Alabama Defend 2nd Pirate attack with Guns

    Somali pirates attacked the Maersk Alabama on Wednesday for the second time in seven months, though private guards on board the U.S.-flagged ship repelled the attack with gunfire and a high-decibel noise device.

• Somali pirates release Singapore container ship

    Somali pirates have released the Singapore-flagged container ship Kota Wajar, which was seized on October 15 north of the Seychelles, pirates and the European Union naval force said on Tuesday. “We have received $4 million and released the ship and its 21 crew late yesterday,” pirate Mohamed told Reuters. “The

• Somali pirates to kill Syrian captain, ship rescued

     (Reuters)  Somali pirates boarded a Panama-flagged ship heading for Mogadishu on Thursday and killed its Syrian captain after he refused to turn the vessel away from the port, officials said.  Source

• Somali pirates to kill Syrian captain, ship rescued

     (Reuters)  Somali pirates boarded a Panama-flagged ship heading for Mogadishu on Thursday and killed its Syrian captain after he refused to turn the vessel away from the port, officials said.  Source

• Pirates attack ship captain RI

     (turntoten)  The EU’s anti-piracy force says Somali pirates have again attacked the Maersk Alabama, the U.S.-flagged ship hijacked last spring.  Source

• Pirates raid Escalate in Indian Ocean Shipping

    Recent developments in the behaviour of Somali pirates who prey upon shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean has made the prospects for ocean freight that moves within the region even more hazardous. On Monday the Hong Kong-flagged oil tanker, the BW Lion, was attacked almost 1,000 miles

• Somali pirates release cargo ship with 26 crew

     (AP) The European Union Naval Force says Somali pirates have freed a Panama-flagged cargo ship and its crew of 26 after a ransom was paid.  Source

• Russian tanker attacked by Somali pirates

    A Russian tanker is still another one to be attacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the Internet maritime bulletin reported on Wednesday, citing the information, received from one of the bulletin readers. According to the data available, the Prisco Alexandra vessel belonging to the “Primorye Sea Shipping Company”

• Pirate says free-Spanish vessel, tanker seized

    Somali pirates are leaving a Spanish tuna fishing boat hijacked six weeks ago after agreeing a ransom of $3.5 million, one of the pirates said on Tuesday. The Alakrana was seized by pirates in the Indian Ocean on October 2 with 36 crew aboard, one of at least 13 ships

• China willing to pay ransom for the freedom of Cosco Bulk Carriers

    China has begun “secret” negotiations to free the cargo ship De Xin Hai and its crew from the clutches of Somali hijackers, the South China Morning Post reported, as relayed by Bloomberg. Chinese Shipowners’ Association secretary general Zhang Zuyue confirmed that the Chinese side is willing to pay a ransom.