Somali Pirates Hijack Another Vessel, Use It as Mothership?

The Somali pirates have hijacked another vessel off the coast of Somalia, a representative from Oceans Beyond Piracy confirmed to World Maritime News.

OBP said that the ship, which is yet to be identified, was hijacked in the vicinity of Eyl, Somalia.

“We are still finding more details, but it appears that it is being used as a mothership and is a danger to shipping,” the representative added.

Another vessel taken off Somali coast. Possible mother ship.@Piracy_OBP @hsp_hoa @UNODC_MCP

— John Steed MBE (@jsteed773) March 24, 2017

The incident comes some ten days after the Somali pirates hijacked their first vessel since 2012, the Comoros-flagged bunkering tanker Aris 13.

After the pirates took the ship and its crew hostage some 18 km off the northern tip of Somalia on March 13, they initially demanded a ransom for the ship’s release.

However, the ship and the crew were freed on March 16 following negotiations between the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF), local Somali authorities, clan elders in the Xabo region, and the pirates.

Prior to the release, in the morning hours the same day, Somali authorities exchanged gunfire with the pirates, who were in the midst of resupplying themselves aboard the tanker in the country’s anchorage off the north coast of Puntland, close to Alula.

World Maritime News Staff