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MT Gemini Released

Four South Korean Crew Still Held Pirates have released the Singapore-flagged MT Gemini and 21 crew members, although they have kept a hold of four South Korean seamen who were on the ship, pirates and maritime officials said Thursday.The MT Gemini was taken on April 30, and pirates had initially demanded $5 million for its release. There was no information on the size of the ransom."The Singaporean vessel has been released on Wednesday late after payment, but they kept the South Korean crew ... because they want six of their colleagues jailed in South Korea to be released," Mu'min Ali, a Haradhere-based pirate, told Somalia Report. "The ransom amount is not clear, as pirate groups don't like to reveal how much they got these days."The vessel was left anchored at Hobyo, he said.Nairobi-based diplomats said the vessel would shortly get underway, and that the four Koreans were taken to an unknown destination on shore.The Singapore-based owner Glory Ship Management confirmed the release in a statement."The pirates ... released 21 of the 25 crew on board but took four South Korean seamen, including the captain, ashore at the last moment despite earlier promises to release the entire all-man crew," Reuters news ...

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Participation of littoral states could reduce piracy in Arab sea

Joint efforts of littoral states around the Somalia Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said on Wednesday that the piracy in Arab Sea could be reduced by the participation of littoral states to guard the shipping lane in the waters.The statement came after a series of hijackings of international commercial ships, including one from Indonesia, by Somalian pirates when they passed the lane, despite presence of multi-national troops.The minister cited as example the participation of three littoral states, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in successfully securing the Malaka Straits from piracy years ago."Currently, it is likely lacking of joint efforts of littoral states around the Somalia," he said at the Jakarta Convention Center here.Indonesia has released 20 of its citizen from the hostages of Somalian pirates recently and now is struggling to free 13 of its other citizen pirated after the release of the 20."We insisted to free the 13 of our citizens. We will cooperate with the government of Singapore to release them," said Natalegawa.The 13 Indonesian sailors onboard Singaporean ship MT Gemini were held hostage by Somali pirates in Somalian waters during its sailing to Kenya. Source: Xinhua

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All 25 crew members of MT Gemini are believed to be safe

The captain confirmed that the crew is alive and unharmed All 25 crew of a hijacked Singapore-registered chemical tanker are believed to be safe, its ship management company said on Thursday after establishing contact for the first time with its captain.The captain of the 29,871 dwt Gemini, which was hijacked by pirates on 30 April, established satellite phone contact on Wednesday with Glory Ship Management. Singapore-based Glory said the satellite phone contact was intermittent as the connection was "very weak"."The captain confirmed that the crew - who are from four Asian countries - were alive and unharmed, but did not communicate any other details," Glory said in a statement."We are relieved that the crew are safe and unharmed. The safety of the crew is our highest priority and we hope and pray for their well-being. We await further contact from their presumed abductors," it added. Gemini, which was carrying Indonesian crude palm, was believed to have been seized off Kenyan waters.Source: Seatrade Asia

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Indonesia and Singapore work together to free kidnapped sailors

Ongoing processes Indonesia and Singapore are working together to free the MV Gemini, a vessel operated by Singapore-based Glory Ship Management, which was seized by Somalian pirates on Saturday while on its way to Kenya from Malaysia.We are cooperating with the Singaporean government so our sailors will be treated well, given protection and freed soon, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa told reporters as quoted by news portal Detik.com.Marty refused to explain in detail how the two countries are cooperating.There are ongoing processes and it is not a simple matter, he said.Glory Ship Management said in a statement on Sunday that pirates were believed to have seized the Singapore-registered MT Gemini and its more than 28,000 tons of crude palm oil.The ship had 25 crew members on board, including of 13 Indonesians, five Chinese, four South Koreans and three Myanmar citizens.Source: Jakarda Globe

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MV GEMINI pirated off the coast of Kenya

25 personnel on board On 30 April, the product tanker MV GEMINI was pirated approximately 180 NM East of Malindi, Kenya.The 20,989 tonne, Singaporian flagged and owned vessel was on its way to Mombasa (Kenya) from Kuala Tanjung (Malaysia) when it was attacked.The MV GEMINI has a crew of 25 (4 Korean, 13 Indonesians, 3 Mayanmar, 5 Chinese). There is no further information about the crew at present.The MV GEMINI was registered with MSC(HOA) and was reporting to UKMTO.EUNAVFOR are continuing to monitor the situation.Source: EU NAVFOR

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