News
29-03-2010
Somali Pirates Hijack Merchant Ship with 24 Crew
AFP - AP - Somali pirates have seized a merchant vessel and 24 of the ship's crew members in the Gulf of Aden.
Maritime monitoring officials say pirates boarded and hijacked the Iceberg I vessel Monday just 15 kilometers from the port of Aden on the Yemeni coast.
The pirates were reported to be sailing the ship toward Somalia.
On Sunday, Somali pirates demanded a $3 million ransom for a North Korean-flagged cargo ship hijacked early last month.
Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based East African Seafarers Assistance Program said the pirates threatened to kill the 10 Syrian crew members on board the MV Rim.
Pirates seized the Libyan-owned ship on February 3 in the Gulf of Aden.
Somali pirates have hijacked dozens of ships over the last few years, taking in tens of millions of dollars in ransom.