Somali Pirates Seize Danish Cargo Ship
By VOA News
08 April 2009
The U.S. Navy said Somali pirates have hijacked a U.S.-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Somalia.
Spokeswoman Jane Campbell said the Danish owned ship was seized early Wednesday about 450 kilometers southeast of Eyl, a town in the northern Puntland region of Somalia.
The 17,000 ton container vessel 'Maersk Alabama' had a crew of 20 U.S. nationals aboard and it was bound for Mombasa, Kenya.
It was the sixth vessel seized in the region within a week.
The incident marks the first time an American-flagged ship has been hijacked by the pirates operating in the Gulf of Aden.
The United States and other nations deployed warships near Somalia late last year in an effort to stop pirates from seizing ships, but pirates appear to be venturing further out to sea to avoid the naval patrols.
Bahrain-based U.S. Navy Spokesman Nate Christensen said the closest ship was more than 550 kilometers away.
Last week, pirates seized five ships including a British bulk carrier, the Malaspina Castle, in the Gulf of Aden; a Taiwanese fishing vessel, the MV Winfar 161, near the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean; a Yemeni tug boat with seven crew members; a French luxury yacht and a German vessel with 24 crew members.
Somali pirates have seized more than 50 ships over the past 18 months, sometimes receiving multi-million dollar payments for their release.
The pirates, who operate from bases on Somalia's east coast, are currently holding more than a dozen ships and their crews.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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