South Korean officials say Somali pirates have released four commercial seamen they had held for 19 months, after the payment of a ransom. A South Korean foreign ministry official said Saturday the ministry had assisted in ransom talks between the ship’s owner and the pirates, but declined to say how much had been paid for […]
Somali Pirates Release 4 South Korean Sailors
Posted December 1st, 2012 at 6:50 am (UTC-5)
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German Court Convicts 10 Somalis of Piracy
Posted October 19th, 2012 at 2:20 pm (UTC-5)
A German court has convicted 10 Somalis, in the country’s first piracy trial in centuries. The court in Hamburg sentenced the men to prison terms of between two and seven years each. The Somalis were arrested by the Dutch navy in 2010 after they hijacked a German container ship off the Horn of Africa. Defense […]
US Hands Over Somali Pirates to Seychelles
Posted March 7th, 2012 at 11:10 am (UTC-5)
The United States has handed over 15 suspected Somali pirates to the Seychelles for trial. Seychellois officials confirmed the handover Wednesday, a day after the U.S. State Department announced the island nation had agreed to accept the suspects. The U.S. Navy captured the Somalis in early January while rescuing 13 Iranian fishermen whose ship had […]
Pirates Attack Ship off Nigeria; Kidnap 2 Crew
Posted February 29th, 2012 at 5:20 am (UTC-5)
A maritime monitoring group said Wednesday that pirates have kidnapped at least two members of a cargo ship anchored off the Nigerian coast. The International Maritime Bureau said eight Nigerian pirates opened fire on the Dutch-owned vessel Tuesday, robbing the 14-member crew before escaping in a small speedboat with the ship’s captain and engineer. It […]
Maritime Monitor Says Somali Pirates Remain Biggest Threat
Posted January 19th, 2012 at 6:25 am (UTC-5)
International piracy monitors say the number of overall attacks dropped slightly last year, and that Somali pirates remain the greatest threat. The International Maritime Bureau said Thursday it recorded 439 pirate attacks in 2011, down from 445 a year before, breaking a four-year trend of increasing attacks worldwide. It said Somali pirates were responsible for […]
Somali Pirates Free Indian Crew of 21
Posted January 15th, 2012 at 5:00 am (UTC-5)
Indian shipping officials say all 21 Indian crew members of a chemical oil tanker held hostage by Somali pirates since August have been released. An Indian shipping spokesman said late Saturday the crew and the ship, the MV Fairchem Bogey, are heading towards a safe port. He did not give any details of the release, […]
Spanish Navy Thwarts Pirate Attack in Indian Ocean
Posted January 12th, 2012 at 1:20 pm (UTC-5)
Spanish forces have captured six alleged pirates in the Indian Ocean, after the suspects attacked a Spanish navy ship. The Spanish defense ministry says pirates aboard a skiff (small boat) opened fire on the combat support ship “Patiño” early Thursday. A statement says the navy ship exchanged fire with the pirates, who eventually tried to […]
Georgian Sailors Freed After 16 Months with Somali Pirates
Posted January 8th, 2012 at 4:10 pm (UTC-5)
Georgian officials say Somalia pirates have freed 15 crew members of a cargo ship seized more than a year ago. The officials gave no details of the release and did not say if a ransom was paid. They say the freed hostages are in satisfactory condition. The Somali pirates hijacked the Maltese-flagged ship in the […]
Iran Welcomes US Rescue of Iranians Held by Pirates
Posted January 7th, 2012 at 10:35 am (UTC-5)
Iran has welcomed the U.S. navy’s rescue of 13 Iranians who were held hostage by pirates in the Arabian Sea. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast called the rescue a “humanitarian” act, in comments to Iran’s state-run broadcaster Al-Alam. But Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency dismissed the rescue as a “Hollywood” dramatization of a routine incident. […]
US Rescues Iranians Held Hostage By Pirates
Posted January 7th, 2012 at 12:05 am (UTC-5)
A U.S. navy ship has rescued 13 Iranians being held hostage by pirates in the Arabian Sea, days after Iran warned U.S. vessels not to return to the Persian Gulf. The U.S. Navy announced Friday that it detected the pirates’ skiff alongside the Iranian fishing vessel, the Al Molai, on Thursday after receiving a distress […]
