Saturday, March 19, 2011

Somali Pirates Release Tanker and 30 Crew

Somali pirates released a Panamanian flagged tanker on Thursday after holding it hostage for more than four months, the European Union’s naval security force said.

EUNAVFOR said in a statement that the Hannibal II chemical tanker and its 30 crew members “are believed to be making a safe port,” and added that people from Croatia, Philippines, Georgia, Russia, Tunisia, and Morocco were on board.

Initially, 31 crew members were on board when it was first hijacked 860 nautical miles east of the Horn of Africa. One of the crew members was evacuated in December.

The owner of the vessel said that all of the members are safe and healthy.

The EU’s naval security apparatus did not say if there was any ransom paid for the vessel and its crew.

In the past several years, Indian Ocean waters east of the Horn of Africa have become increasingly dangerous as Somali pirates have taken hundreds of ships and crew hostage. On Feb. 22, Somali pirates killed four Americans hostages.

Source: The Epoch Times

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