Somali pirates release Panama-flagged MV VOC Daisy

[News_Editor]

Somali pirates release Panama-flagged MV VOC Daisy

2010-10-19 02:25:15 GMT+7 (ICT)

BRUSSELS (BNO NEWS) -- Somali pirates on Sunday released the Panama-flagged MV VOC Daisy and its 21 crew members, the European Union Naval Force Somalia confirmed on Monday.

The MV VOC Daisy, a Liberian-owned and Panama-flagged bulk carrier with a deadweight of 47,183 tons, was hijacked on April 21 when it was approximately 190 nautical miles (351 kilometers) southeast of Salalah in Oman.

The vessel, which was released near the Garacad settlement in Mudug, Somalia, was being operated by a crew of 21 Filipinos, all of whom are reported to be in good health.

Currently, Somali pirates are holding nearly 20 ships with a total of nearly 400 hostages, according to the European naval force. Most hijackings usually end without casualties when a ransom has been paid. This often takes many months, however.

In recent years, Somali pirates have hijacked dozens of ships, taking in tens of millions of dollars in ransom. Ships assigned to the EU Naval Force Somalia are patrolling the shipping lanes near Somalia in an effort to reduce hijackings, but the anti-piracy force has warned that attacks are likely to increase now that the regional monsoon season has ended.

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