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Africa Horn
Japanese ship hijacked off Gulf of Aden
2008-11-17
Armed Somali pirates over the weekend hijacked a Japanese ship in the Gulf of Aden, defying several warships that are patrolling the volatile waters, a Kenyan maritime official said on Sunday. The 20,000-ton "Chemstar Venus", along with its 23 crew members, was taken on Saturday in the region, said Andrew Mwangura who runs the Kenya chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Programme.

Somali pirates have released a chemical tanker, the Stolt Valor, after they received a $1.1 million ransom, a regional maritime official said on Sunday. Two other ships could be released before November 25 because negotiations between the owners and pirates had been going well, said Andrew Mwangura, director of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme that monitors piracy.

But he said the pirates, who have made shipping routes off Somalia among the most dangerous in the world, had seized another ship, a Japanese cargo vessel. "It (the Stolt Valor) was released last night and after release, another ship was taken, a Japanese one with South Korean connections," Mwangura told Reuters, adding that a $1.1 million ransom had been paid for the Stolt Valor. "Stolt Valor is among three ships that are to be released this month," he added, naming them as the MV Genius and the MV Action but without giving further details.

The pirates off the dangerous Somali coast have taken three ships within the past week alone; another chemical tanker chartered by chemical tanker shipping group Stolt-Nielsen, a Chinese fishing vessel and a Turkish tanker. The Japanese cargo ship hijacked late on Saturday was carrying 23 sailors including five South Koreans, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. Piracy off Somalia has plagued the shipping lane linking the Middle East Gulf and Asia to Europe and beyond via the Suez Canal and increased insurance premiums.

The International Maritime Bureau says 199 incidents of piracy or attempted piracy were reported worldwide from January to September this year, of which 63 were in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast.
Posted by:Fred

#12  I am surprised that a combo of private/naval muscle hasn't been assembled to smash these idiots. Shouldn't be too hard.

I recall way back in the mid-70s the Philippines OK'd a Malaysian air strike on a pirate nest in their territory after an ambitious bunch had seized Lahad Datu in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo for a day (the bullet holes were still over the bank door when I was there in '93). Seems like pirate-plinking (both naval and land assets) would be mighty good (and fun!) practice for US and other forces (other forces will exist, don't they? or has the RN been tied up for lack of funds, and the NATO toy navies run down their AAA batteries?)
Posted by: Verlaine   2008-11-17 23:21  

#11  With 63 incidents total in the Gulf of Aden this year, considering the high traffic in this sealane, the odds don't seem to be entirely coincidental to me.

Suez Canal is a chokepoint; so is the opening of the Gulf of Aden. Wouldn't take much to station someone at both ends, or to bribe a canal employee, someone in a shipping and/or government office anywhere from Europe, down to Kenya.
Posted by: Pappy   2008-11-17 16:14  

#10  Dispatch the Ninjas!
Posted by: mojo   2008-11-17 16:07  

#9  Any indication they know what they are pirating? Not all cargo is equally valuable nor is it all insured. Ransoms may be profitable but what happens when they get really dangerous stuff, like the Russian weapons and Iranian WMD's? With 63 incidents total in the Gulf of Aden this year, considering the high traffic in this sealane, the odds don't seem to be entirely coincidental to me.
Posted by: Thealing Borgia 122   2008-11-17 15:23  

#8  It is far past time for a good glassing of the Somali coast.
Posted by: DarthVader   2008-11-17 15:15  

#7  So what are your speculations on where that money does go? Kickbacks to 'negotiators'? 'Tithe' to Religion of Pieces?

WAG? Islamic organized crime syndicate. Money to the places you mentioned, plus other 'pockets'.
Posted by: Pappy   2008-11-17 14:33  

#6  Pappy,So what are your speculations on where that money does go? Kickbacks to 'negotiators'? 'Tithe' to Religion of Pieces?
Posted by: Glenmore   2008-11-17 12:53  

#5  At over a million bucks ransom per ship this has to be the number one economic activity in Somalia.

Perhaps. I suspect only a small portion of the money stays there.
Posted by: Pappy   2008-11-17 11:45  

#4  Time to return to those thrilling days of yesteryear (circa 1700 - 1900) and treat pirates to a dose of the yard arm.

This idea that the genteel, PC manners we use with each other work with everyone is absurd.

Merchant ships should be armed and / or private protection companies should be chartered to end this sh**. Don't warn them, blow them out of the water at the first sign of trouble. And videotape everything.
Posted by: AlanC   2008-11-17 09:47  

#3  Looks like they've "kicked it up a notch." FOXnoise reported this morning that the pirates had captured an oil tanker.
Posted by: Besoeker   2008-11-17 09:39  

#2  One would feel rather stupid trying to grow corn there, eh ...
Posted by: Steve White   2008-11-17 09:11  

#1  At over a million bucks ransom per ship this has to be the number one economic activity in Somalia.
Posted by: Glenmore   2008-11-17 07:43  

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