Somali pirates release bulk cargo vessel carrying 24 crew members

Somali pirates release bulk cargo vessel carrying 24 crew members

2011-04-26 13:15:27 GMT+7 (ICT)

MANILA (BNO NEWS) -- Somali pirates on Saturday released a Panama-flagged vessel carrying two dozen Filipino crew members, the Filipino government confirmed on Tuesday.

The MV Renuar, a Panama-flagged and Liberian-owned bulk cargo vessel, was hijacked on December 11, 2010, about 1,050 nautical miles (1,944 kilometers) east of the Somali coastal village of Eyl, or about 550 nautical miles (1,018 kilometers) from the coast of India.

The vessel was en-route to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates from Port Louis in Mauritius when it was taken over by a group of Somali pirates, who have together hijacked hundreds of vessels in recent years.

"The attack was launched from two attack skiffs, supported by a mother ship, with pirates firing small arms and rocket propelled grenades at the merchant vessel," EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) spokesman Per Klingvall said in December. "Since the attack, the pirates have confirmed that they have control of the ship which is now heading West towards the Somali Coast."

The crew of 24, all whom are Filipino, had tried to evade the pirate attack for a while, but failed. Eventually, after several attempts, the pirates were able to board the vessel and take over the ship.

A statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines on Tuesday confirmed that the vessel had been released on Saturday and that all crew members are in a good condition.

The vessel is now sailing to Fujairah, and arrangements for the repatriation of the 24 Filipino seafarers to Manila are being made, the Department said.

Somali pirates are currently holding at least 24 vessels with 521 hostages off the coast of Somalia, according to EUNAVFOR. The piracy monitoring group Ecoterra, however, says pirates are holding at least 48 vessels and 745 hostages.

In recent years, Somali pirates have hijacked hundreds of ships, taking in hundreds of millions of dollars in ransom. Ships 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 continue.

Most hijackings usually end without casualties when a ransom has been paid. This, however, often takes many months. The longest currently ongoing hijacking, according to EUNAVFOR, is that of the Panama-flagged MV Iceberg 1 which was hijacked on March 29, 2010, with 24 crew members. One of the hostages has since committed suicide while others are said to be mentally ill.

According to a recent study, maritime piracy cost the global economy up to $12 billion last year, with Somalia-based pirates responsible for 95 percent of the costs.

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