A chemical tanker has become the latest vessel to be captured by Somali pirates
A chemical tanker has become the latest vessel to be captured by Somali pirates. The Marshall Islands-flagged Fairchem Bogey, and its crew of 21 Indian seafarers, was seized off the Omani port of Salalah on 20 August. The vessel was actually anchored outside the port when the attack took place.
The ship becomes the 19th vessel currently held by Somali pirates. According to figures compiled by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) for 18 August, before the latest hijack, Somali pirates held captive 18 vessels and 355 hostages. Hostages include seven Indian seafarers from the Asphalt Venture still held captive despite the payment of a ransom in April.
Somali pirates are also reported to have made an unsuccessful attempt to hijack the Saudi-owned chemical tanker Al Balad 50 nautical miles off Oman on 21 August. Pirates also fired rocket-propelled grenade on the Greek-owned Namibia II in the security transit corridor of the Gulf of Aden on 23 August. The vessel took evasive manoeuvres and evaded capture.
Concerns about the threats to shipping off the west coast of Africa have also been confirmed by the hijack of a chemical tanker by 12 armed pirates off Cotonou, Benin on 20 August. The incident is the latest in a growing series of attacks, often violent, in which pirates in the region have forced captured vessels to sail to unknown destinations.
Other recent incidents reported to the IMB worldwide Piracy Reporting Centre include:
- Two robbers boarded a bulk carrier berthed at Belawan, Indonesia on 20 August and escaped with ship’s property.
- Three robbers were spotted on board a chemical tanker anchored at Esmeraldas, Ecuador on 19 August; one threatened the duty watchman with a knife. The alarm was raised but the robbers escaped with ship’s stores.
- Four robbers boarded a ship anchored at Port Au Prince, Haiti on 16 August and escaped with ship’s stores.
All attacks and suspicious sightings should be reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, Tel: +603 2031 0014 (24 hours), Email: [email protected]
Source: ITF
