Said Mohamed Raage, Puntland’s minister for sea and ports, told Somalia Report by phone, “The name of the boat is Savina Al-Salaam, owned by India, has 16 crew. All are Indian. The boat also carried four Somali passengers, three women and one man, all have Oman visas,” he said. “The cargo was 3620 animals, livestock loaded at Bosaso Port. The name of captain is Naaji Hussien. They don’t hijack the boat at Bosaso port, they hijacked while the boat was at sea and heading to Oman," said Minister Raage.
The minister also told Somalia Report that the boat was likely taken to the Qandalla area in the eastern Bari region. “We are still investigating what hppend and we believe that boat was taken to Qandalla area. We don’t have more information about these pirates yet, but we know that pirates seize commercial boats to use to launch attacks from,” he said.
Somali pirates often hijack commercial and fishing boats from which to launch attacks on bigger transport ships. The group of pirates based in Bari region, especially around Bargaal and Qandalla along the coast, are mostly from the clans of Ali Saleban, Siwaaqroon, Cisman Mohamoud and Ali jibraahiil (sub-clans of majeerteen), as well as the Warsengli (Darood clan) and Dishiishe (Darood clan).
Savina Al-Salaam will be the first commercial boat to be hijacked in the new year. On December 18, pirates seized an Indian Boat loaded with charcoal, along with 12 crew, all of them Indian, while it sailed from Kismaayo Port towards the United Arab Emirates.