CAIRO, Egypt – Somali pirates seized an Egyptian cargo ship and its 28 crewmembers on Thursday while a Malaysian military helicopter saved an Indian tanker from being hijacked in the new year's first attacks by pirates in the dangerous Gulf of Aden. Fifteen armed pirates snatched the Egyptian vessel, called Blue Star, after the ship exited the Red Sea and entered the gulf, carrying a cargo of 6,000 tons of fertilizer, according to Egyptian Deputy Foreign minister, Ahmed Rizq.The pirates then steered the ship toward the coast of Somalia, Rizq said.He said contacts were under way with "international and regional parties" to get the ship released — which likely meant there were attempts to negotiate with the pirates.
In the other attack Thursday, a Malaysian military helicopter saved an Indian tanker carrying a full load of oil when it was attacked by two skiffs, one of which carried seven pirates dressed in military-style uniforms, said Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center."They came close to the ship and started firing machine guns, hitting the bridge and the accommodation area," Choong told The Associated Press. The pirates, believed to be Somalis, tried to board the vessel several times while "firing repeatedly" but failed, he said.
The captain increased the ship's speed to maximum, made evasive maneuvers and sent an SOS, which was received by a Malaysian frigate, KD Sri Inderah Sakti, 15 nautical miles away, he said.more..http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090101/ap_on_re_mi_ea/piracy
Somali pirate clampdown 'working'
There has been a sharp reduction in the number of ships seized by pirates off Somalia in December, the International Maritime Bureau says. Despite a large number of attacks, only two ships were hijacked last month, the bureau's director told the BBC. Among the latest incidents, an Egyptian cargo ship was seized off Somalia and a Malaysian military helicopter saved an Indian oil tanker from a pirate attack. There were more than 100 pirate attacks in 2008 off the coast of Somalia. more..http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7807379.stmEU force 'foils Somali pirates'
EU naval forces have forced back pirates raiding a Greek oil tanker off Somalia, the Greek government says.
Pirates in speedboats abandoned efforts to board the tanker when a frigate, jet fighter and helicopter approached, the Greek merchant marine ministry reports.
Earlier France's navy said one of its ships had seized two suspected pirate boats and was holding eight suspe more..http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7808382.stm
Timeline: Somalia
I wish everyone a safe and happy New Year!
600s - Arab tribes establish the sultanate of Adel on the Gulf of Aden coast. to...2008 December - Ethiopia announces plans to withdraw all forces by end of 2008..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1072611.stm
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