Somali Pirates Attack Greek Ship
2009-11-23 6:47
Somali pirates have attacked a Greek-owned bulk carrier late last week in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen.
News emerged on Saturday the vessel was taken off the Yemeni port of Balhaf.
[Andrew Mwangura, East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme]:
"We believe the ship might be heading to the Somali coast right now but others say maybe she escaped but according to Yemen Coast Guards the ship is still under captivity."
However, a Greek spokesman says the ship’s managers did not confirm the incident.
[Andrew Mwangura, East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme]:
"We don't know the number of the crew members, the crew size and the nationalities of the crews, and it is not yet known where she was heading to and where she was coming from."
Somali pirates continue to defy foreign navies patrolling the waters off the Horn of Africa and hijack vessels. International maritime authorities say attacks by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden and the east coast of Somalia stand at 174 in the year to October 20.
There were 324 piracy attacks around the world during the year to October.
