Iran says pirates off the coast of Somalia have struck to hijack an Iranian vessel, holding its 29 crewmembers onboard hostage. Deputy Managing Director for Maritime Affairs Saeed Izadian said an Iranian fishing vessel was attacked in free waters by Somali pirates on Sunday.

“A number of armed men off the coast of Somalia hijacked this Iranian vessel,” Izadian said Tuesday.

The Iranian official put the number of crewmembers held hostage at 29,
explaining further that pirates have not yet asked for a ransom in
exchange for the release of the ship and its crew.

“The Somali pirates have currently taken refuge in their hideouts; we
have so far received 2 dispatched messages form the pirates with the
help of which we have tracked them down,” Izadian added.

The report comes as earlier in 2008 Somali pirates hijacked a Hong
Kong-flagged cargo ship, Delight, operated by the Islamic Republic of
Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) in the Gulf of Aden.

The surge in such attacks has caused international concern and warships
from several countries have increased cooperation to crack down on the
buccaneers.

Source: PressTV

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