Friday June 10, 2011
Somalia Report maintains an extensive search-and-rescue database on hijacked ships, kidnapped crews and land-based hostages. In an effort to clarify the often confusing and deliberately misleading information communicated by pirates, we will publish a weekly update.
This week, the Chinese-owned MV Yuan Xiang and its 29 Chinese crew members were released. The vessel was seized 650 nautical miles east of Salalah, Oman on November 13, 2010, and is owned and managed by Ningbo Hongyuan Ship Management Ltd. More than half of the $3.6 million seized by Somalia's government in Mogadishu two weeks ago along with a foreign security team, was believed to have been heading for the MV Yuan Xiang. It was not clear whether the money has been quietly released from Somalia's Central Bank or the owner stumped up another $2.1 million.
With the release of this vessel, 21 ships and an estimated 460 seafarers remain in the hands of pirates. 22 of these hostages, including the Danish hostages and crew from the MV Asphalt Venture, are being held on land or onboard other vessels.
In other piracy news, six pirates were jailed in Somaliland this week, while a new report highlighted growing concern over torture and abuse of captive seamen as a tactic to reveal information and to force owners to stump up ransoms.
Somalia Report remains in contact where possible, to seek updates, offer medical assistance and urge compassion to these innocent victims abused and held strictly for monetary gain. The cargos are typically insured but mariners are often held without pay, without hope of recompense and without hope of rescue from the ships they see sailing by. Most seamen are from poor nations and they also suffer the most in this drama. Ship owners, cargo holders and consignees can rely on insurance to make them partially whole, while mariners and fishermen are lucky to escape with their lives.
FV SHIUH FU No.1
Flag: Taiwan
Crew: 26
IMO: Fishing vessel, not registered
Taken: December 25, 2010
The fishing vessel was attacked in the morning by a pirate skiff 138 miles off the north east tip of Madagascar but there were no further communications from the crew. Sources close to the negotiation team told Somalia Report Thursday afternoon that the captors of the ill-fated fishing vessel are demanding ransom money amounting to $ 1million for the release of the vessel. Somali anti-piracy group SODIPO told Somalia Report that all 26 crew members of the vessel are safe, but they are very sad and forsaken for being under captive and far away from home for more than 150 days. Her multi-national crew is comprised of fourteen Chinese, fourteen Vietnamese, and one Taiwanese sailor.
MV ICEBERG 1
Flag: Panama
Crew: 24
Taken March 29, 2010
FV PRANTALAY 12
Flag: Thailand
Crew: 24
Taken: April 18, 2010.
MV SUEZ
Flag: Panama
Crew: 24
IMO: 8218720
Taken: August 2, 2010
MV OLIB G
Flag: Malta
Crew: 18
IMO: 8026608
Taken: September 8, 2010
MV POLAR
Flag: Panama Crew: 24 IMO: 9299563
Taken: October 30, 2010
The Liberian-owned vessel was attacked and boarded at night 667 miles east of Socotra Island, Yemen.
MV ALBEDO
Flag: Malaysia
Crew: 23
IMO: 9041162
The vessel was attacked by pirates November 26, 2010 while underway 293 miles west of the Maldives on the Indian Ocean. All crew are still being held hostage.
MV MSC PANAMA
Flag: Liberia
Crew: 23
IMO: 902125
Taken: December 10, 2010
Hijacking occurred 276 miles south east of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
MV ORNA
Flag: Panama
Crew: 19
IMO: 8312162
Taken: December 20, 2010
The UAE-owned vessel was attacked by two pirate skiffs armed with RPGs and small arms 460 miles north east of the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. Nineteen hostages are still being held on board the ship. MV Orna is operating as a mother ship and confirmed position on 03rd june is 1056N 05738E.
MV BLIDA
Flag: Algeria
Crew: 27
IMO: 7705635
Taken: January 1, 2011
The vessel was attacked 172 miles south east of the Port of Salalah, Oman.
MV EAGLE
Flag: Cyprus
Crew: 24
IMO: 7026508
Taken: January 7, 2011
The vessel was attacked in the Gulf of Aden 563 miles south of the Port of Salalah, Oman by a pirate skiff. All crew members are still being held hostage.
MV HOANG SON SUN
Flag: Mongolia
Crew: 24
IMO: 8323862
The Vietnamese-owned vessel was attacked January 19, 2011 by pirates 598 miles south east of the Port of Muscat, Oman. All crew members are still being held hostage by pirates.
MV SAVINA CAYLYN
Flag: Italy
Crew: 22
IMO: 9489285
Taken: February 8, 2011
The vessel was attacked by pirates 771 miles east of Socotra Island, Yemen. There is no communication and all crew are still being held hostage.
MV SININ
Flag: Malta
Crew: 23
IMO: 9274941
Taken: Feburary 12, 2011
The vessel was attacked in the Northern Arabian Sea 402 miles east of Masirah, Oman. All crew members are still being held hostage.
MV ZIRKU
Flag: UAE
Crew: 29
IMO: 9237802
Taken: March 28, 2011
The Kuwaiti-owned vessel was attacked by two pirate skiffs while underway 287 miles south east of Salalah, Oman
MV SUSAN K
Flag: Antigua and Barbuda
Crew: 10
IMO: 9344370
Taken: April 8, 2011
The German-owned vessel was attacked by ten pirates near the Omani coast about 230 miles north east of Salalah, Oman.
MV ROSALIA D’AMATO
Flag: Italy
Crew: 21
IMO: 9225201
Taken: April 21, 2011
The vessel was attacked 402 miles south east of Salalah, Oman.
MV GEMINI
Flag: Singapore
Crew: 25
IMO: 8412352
The Singaporean-owned vessel was attacked 207 miles east of Malindi, Kenya. Negotiations for the release of the vessel and her twenty five crew members are ongoing.
SY ING
Flag: Denmark
Crew: 5 Danish Passengers, 2 Danish Crew members
IMO: 43-foot Pleasure sailing craft, not registered
Taken: February 27, 2011
The small private yacht was hijacked by pirates while on a world tour. The hostages include two crew members, and a family of five including three children age 13 – 17. The sailboat was attacked approximately 600 miles east of Somalia in the Indian Ocean. The hostages are being held aboard MV Dover.
FV ALFARDOUS
Flag: Yemen Crew: 8
IMO: Fishing vessel, not registered
Taken: February 13, 2011
The vessel was attacked near Socotra Island in the Gulf of Aden.
MV DOVER
Flag: Panama
Crew: 20
IMO: 7433634
Taken: February 28, 2011
The Greek-owned vessel was attacked while it was 300 miles north east of Salalah, Oman. Negotiations are in the final stages.
FV JELBUT 33
The fishing dhow is currently being used by pirates as mother ship. Last known position (14 may) was 1538N 05816E.
Send your tips to info@somaliareport.com
This list is compiled from various sources, including pirates, ship owners, maritime officials, anti-piracy groups, local communities, EU NAVFOR, NATO, and Ecoterra Intl.