Somali pirates hijack Taiwanese-flagged fishing vessel in the Gulf of Aden

Somali pirates hijack Taiwanese-flagged fishing vessel in the Gulf of Aden

2010-10-08 17:30:58 GMT+7 (ICT)

BRUSSELS (BNO NEWS) -- Somali pirates hijacked a Taiwanese-flagged fishing vessel in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, the European Union Naval Force Somalia confirmed.

The Feng Guo No.168 was hijacked approximately 250 nautical miles (463 kilometers) from Antisiranana, a city at the northern tip of Madagascar. "This is the most southerly vessel to be pirated since the operation began," the force said in a statement.

The fishing vessel departed Port Louis in Mauritius on October 1 and has a crew of fourteen, of which eight are Vietnamese, three Chinese, two Indonesian, and a Taiwanese Captain.

Including the Feng Guo, Somali pirates are currently holding 18 ships with 383 hostages, according to the naval force. Most hijackings usually end without casualties when a ransom has been paid.

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