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The EU anti-piracy taskforce and experts have confirmed an oil tanker was hijacked off the coast of Somalia on Monday, raising fears of a return of Somali pirates after almost five years.
The EU Naval Force Somalia said the Comoros-flagged tanker, Aris 13, disappeared off the coast of the east African nation on Monday.
“The EU Naval Force, which is currently operating off the coast of Somalia, has received positive confirmation from the master of the Comoros-flagged tanker, Aris 13, that his ship and crew are currently being held captive by a number of suspected armed pirates in an anchorage off the north coast of Puntland, close to Alula,” the Naval Force said in a statement on Tuesday night.
It said the attack came shortly after the master issued a mayday alert to say that two skiffs were closing in on his ship in the Gulf of Aden. “Upon receipt of the mayday alert, an EU Naval Force maritime patrol aircraft was launched from its base in Dijibouto to overfly the tanker and make radio contact with the ship’s master” it said.
The anti-piracy taskforce said despite hailing the ship several times, no contact was made and the situation on board remained unclear until late Tuesday afternoon, when the EU Naval Force operational HQ in London was able to make telephone contact with the ship’s master.
“The master confirmed that armed men were on board his ship and they were demanding a ransom for the ship’s release. The EU Naval Force has now passed the information regarding the incident to the ship’s owner,” it said.
John Steed, the regional manager of not for profit group Oceans Beyond Piracy said the vessel which was en route to Mogadishu from Djibouti was seized approximately 18 km off the northern tip of Somalia.
“This incident marks the fist hijacking of a merchant vessel since the height of Somali piracy in 2012,” Steed said in a statement issued on Tuesday night. – BBC
Source: The Ghanaian Times
