Reneging on a deal to free seven of its crew
A Sharjah ship owner has warned Somali pirates that reneging on a deal to free seven of its crew will cause others to question the point of paying ransom demands.
The pirates captured the MV Asphalt Venture and its 15 crew, all Indians, more than six months ago and anchored the ship off the Somali town of Harardhere.
After a ransom payment the pirates say was worth $3.6 million (Dh13.2m), eight of the crew and the ship were released at the weekend, but the pirates retained seven – six officers and one crew member -in retaliation for the capture of 120 pirates by Indian authorities over the past few months.
It is thought to be the first time pirates have reneged on a ransom deal since the practice of capturing ships off the coast of Somalia came to international attention six years ago.
Sunil Puri, a spokesman for both companies, said the pirates were not “directly in touch with the company”.
The 4,000-tonne vessel had been en route to South Africa last September when it was seized about 100 nautical miles off the coast of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Indian forces have had four confrontations with pirates this year. After the third, in March, a pirate named Bile Hussein warned that Indian hostages might face rougher treatment as a result.
Mr Puri said the company hoped the crew was in no danger. “We kept our side of the bargain.”
Source: The National