shippingposition
  • Home
  • News
  • Editorial
    • Vox Pop
  • Maritime safety
  • Oil and Gas
  • Personality
  • Health
No Result
View All Result
shippingposition

Home » EU Says Somali Pirates Still Hold 54 Hostages, 2 Vessels

EU Says Somali Pirates Still Hold 54 Hostages, 2 Vessels

by Joshua
May 17, 2013
in Uncategorized

The EU anti-piracy taskforce said Somali pirates were still holding 54 hostages and two ships in captivity and warned of more danger posed by the gunmen.
The EU Naval Force Somalia said in a statement received on Wednesday that the pirates have attacked nine more ships since May 2012, warning against complacency since the pirates are still issuing threats if ransoms are not paid.

The EU anti-piracy taskforce said Somali pirates were still holding 54 hostages and two ships in captivity and warned of more danger posed by the gunmen.
The EU Naval Force Somalia said in a statement received on Wednesday that the pirates have attacked nine more ships since May 2012, warning against complacency since the pirates are still issuing threats if ransoms are not paid.
“I am very concerned that seafarers and nations will lower their guard and support for counter piracy operations in the belief that the piracy threat is over,” EU Naval Force’s Operation Commander Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant said.
Somali pirates tend to be well armed with automatic weapons and Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) and sometimes use skiffs launched from mother vessels, which may be hijacked fishing vessels or dhows, to conduct attacks far from the Somali coast.
Since Somali piracy is largely a hijack-for-ransom business, it relies heavily on onshore support for infrastructure that provides food, water, fuel and the leafy narcotic khat to the militiamen who guard the hijacked ships throughout the ransom negotiation process.
Tarrant’s statement comes as the number of attacks off the coast of Somalia related to Somali pirates has reduced drastically with five incidents being reported in the first quarter of 2013 including the hijacking of a fishing vessel and its 20-member crew, according to the global maritime watchdog.
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has however warned of complacency in its latest quarterly report for January-March, saying the risk of being approached or attacked still exists.
The watchdog said although the number of acts of piracy reported in Somalia has significantly decreased, there can be no room for complacency.
“We should remember that at its height in January 2011, 32 ships were pirated by Somali pirates and 736 hostages were held. It is crucial that we remain vigilant or the number of attacks will once again rise,” Tarrant said.
He reiterated his warning that Somali pirates are still posing a threat to the foreign vessels operating of the coast of Somalia, adding that if presented with an easy target, will attack.
The Admiral’s warning comes days after EU Naval Force warship ESPS Rayo located a skiff with six men on board 320 nautical miles off the Somali coast.
According to the naval force, it is highly unusual to see these small, open top boats so far out to sea, so a team from Rayo went across to investigate.
The statement said the 6 men could not explain why they had sailed so far from land, adding that there was no evidence of trade or legal activity and Rayo’s crew found equipment on board that is commonly related to piracy.
“Whilst there was not enough evidence on this occasion that could have guaranteed a legal prosecution, the decision was taken to return the men to the Somali coast so that they could not pose any potential risk to passing ships,” it said.
EU Naval Force Spokesperson, Lieutenant Commander Jacqueline Sherriff said whilst not possible this time, every effort is made to achieve a prosecution when suspect pirates are apprehended by the EU naval force as demonstrated in recent months by the legal transfers of suspect pirates to Mauritius and The Seychelles authorities.”
The Rayo incident comes exactly one year since the last ship, chemical tanker MV Smyrni, was seized by armed pirates off the Somali coast.


Related Posts

Despite ₦5.17trn Surplus, Dollar Dominates Nigeria-China Trade As Naira-Yuan Swap Struggles

Despite ₦5.17trn Surplus, Dollar Dominates Nigeria-China Trade As Naira-Yuan Swap Struggles

June 30, 2025
Meningitis: Death Toll In Kebbi Hits 56 – Govt 

Meningitis: Death Toll In Kebbi Hits 56 – Govt 

March 24, 2025
Navy Rescues 8 Police Officers,1 Civilian From Boat Accident In Bayelsa

Navy Rescues 8 Police Officers,1 Civilian From Boat Accident In Bayelsa

January 8, 2025
PHOTO NEWS: SIFAX Thanksgiving and Night of Praise 2.0

PHOTO NEWS: SIFAX Group Thanksgiving and Night of Praise 2.0

December 18, 2024

Discussion about this post

Latest News

Vessels Expected At Lagos Ports As At 9th July, 2025

FG Donates 3,500 Life Jackets to Boost Waterways Safety in Ogun State

July 9, 2025

Dangote Commends NPA-Led OSS Committee, Donates Bus to Support Operations

Customs Intercepts ₦654m Worth of Undeclared Foreign Currency at Kano Airport, Hands Over Suspects to EFCC

Vessels Expected At Lagos Ports As At 9th July, 2025

CRFFN Dismisses Viral Court Judgement Reports, Reaffirms Regulatory Mandate over Freight Forwarders

Lagos Govt. Dismantles Illegal Checkpoints Along Badagry Expressway

Nigeria Customs Sensitises International Airline Operators on Currency Declaration

PHOTO NEWS Collaboration For Trade Facilitation

Vessels Expected At Lagos Ports As At 8th July, 2025

Nigerian Exporters Lament as Road Freight to Ghana via Benin, Togo Costs Over ₦10 Million Per Truck  

NIWA Responds to Lagos State’s Call to Halt Sand-Filling Approvals on Waterways 

Shippers’ Council Recovers Over N5.5 Million in Container Deposit Refunds, Demurrage Disputes in Q1

kindly like our Facebook page

Health

Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert
Health

Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert

June 30, 2025

Mrs Roseline Akinlabi, Adolescent and Youth Sexual Reproductive Health Desk Officer, Osun Primary Healthcare Board, says contraceptive pills cannot cause...

ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: The Liver

June 16, 2025
ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

June 16, 2025
Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

June 1, 2025
20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

June 1, 2025
Health Facts You Didn’t Know

How Your Habit Affects Fertility

May 19, 2025
Fruits For Raining Season

Fruits For Raining Season

May 19, 2025
See Mental Illness Like Other Treatable Diseases – Says Suicide Survivor

Health Facts You Didn’t Know

May 19, 2025
Alligator Pepper: Benefits, FAQ, Side Effects, & Warning

Alligator Pepper: Benefits, FAQ, Side Effects, & Warning

April 28, 2025
Water And Health: The Relationship That Helps Life

Water And Health: The Relationship That Helps Life

April 28, 2025

© 2021 Shippingposition

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Coast To Coast
  • Oil and Gas
  • Maritime Education
  • The Terminals
  • Maritime safety

© 2021 Shippingposition