| Topic: |
Science > Prophecies-Of-Nostradamus |
| User: |
"Foaming at the Mouth Psychotic" |
| Date: |
22 Nov 2005 12:51:52 PM |
| Object: |
Somali pirates free ship, crew after a month of captivity |
Somali pirates free ship, crew after a month of captivity
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Kenya's maritime officials confirmed Sunday that Somali pirates have
freed a ship and its crew after holding them hostage for almost one
month off Somalia's north-east coast.
Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of Kenyan Seafarers' Association Program
said the Maltese-flagged San Carlos and its 24-member crew which was
seized on October 20 as it made its way to South Africa was released on
Saturday and resumed its course to its destination.
"Information we have received indicates that the San Carlos was
released on Saturday that it is making its way to its original
destination, which is South Africa," Mwangura said by telephone.
However, the official could not disclose under what circumstances the
vessel was freed, saying ransom may have been paid to secure its
freedom.
"I don't know whether any ransom was paid, but I am sure that some
compensation would have been given to the gunmen for them to release
the ship," he said.
Piracy has increased in the unprotected waters off the Somalis with the
International Maritime Bureau (IMB) warning ships to stay 200 nautical
miles off the Somali coast.
According to the IMB, there have been more than 25 hijackings and
attempted seizures of vessels by Somali pirates since March.
Sporadic piracy has been taking place off the coast of Somalia for at
least a decade, with several incidents reported each year.
But it is unclear why there has been such a dramatic increase since the
beginning of the year.
Some shipping companies allege that a coalition maritime unit called
Combined Task Force 150 that includes personnel made up of United
States, Germany, and France recently stopped or slowed down its patrols
in the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, and other
waters.
They say pirates have become bolder as a result.
Somalia has had no functioning central administration for the past 14
years and last month the prime minister of the country's fledgling and
largely powerless transitional government appealed for help from
neighboring countries to patrol its waters.
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