According to Basra Governorat, pirates have hijacked an Iraqi ship that was stranded outside the country’s waters and took it to an unknown location.
Specifically, Kadhim Finjan Al-Hammami said he received “authenticated pleas from the private owner of Iraqi tugboat T-4, to free his ship from pirates”.
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What is more, the attackers had taken it to an unknown location, and demanded in an audio recording that he pay a ransom of $80,000.
“The owner of the hijacked ship explained that his ship ran aground at the Iranian coast, about seven miles north of Bushehr Port. The crew of a ship called Sohan stole its fuel and plundered its contents and equipment.”
…National Iraqi News Agency (NINA) quoted Al-Hammami as saying.
Concluding, following the situation, the Iraqi authorities have sent an urgent call for help to Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Center (MEMAC) in Bahrain.