Pirates capture more ships off Somalia

TONY EASTLEY: A giant tanker, carrying two-million barrels of oil, is this morning sitting at anchor off the east African coast while pirates onboard demand a ransom from the ship's owners.Heavily armed Somali pirates captured the super tanker the Sirius Star on Saturday, 830 kilometres off the Kenyan coast.According to the International Maritime Bureau there have been more than 90 attacks on ships this year, mostly in the Gulf of Aden. There were 36 successful hijackings.Africa correspondent Andrew Geoghegan reports.ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Equipped with high powered speed boats and armed with machine guns and rocket propelled grenades, Somali pirates have developed a fearsome reputation.MIKE MULLEN: They're very good at what they do, they're highly, you know, they're very well armed, tactically they're very good.ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Admiral Mike Mullen is the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. more..http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2008/s2423524.htm


somali Pirate update http://www.shipping.nato.int/piracyslid/file/_WFS/080917-unclass_Piracy-NS.ppt