Ships held by Somali pirates

July 20

Somali pirates received a $1.8 million ransom for the release of a German-owned vessel and its 11-member crew, pirate sources and officials said at the weekend.The 146-metre MV Victoria, an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo vessel, was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden on May 5 while on its way to the port of Jeddah. Last week Somali pirates abandoned a dhow and its 14 member Indian crew after using the hijacked ship to attack an oil tanker, a European Union anti-piracy force said. Pirates had seized the Nefya on July 11 and used it to launch a failed attack two days later on the 265,000-tonne, Liberian-flagged oil tanker "A Elephant".Here are details of some ships believed to be under pirate control and some facts about the increase in piracy:..more..http://bit.ly/McnWb