KENYA: Somali pirates release British-flagged chemical tanker

Record ID: 360778

  • Title: KENYA: Somali pirates release British-flagged chemical tanker
  • Date: 15th May 2010
  • Summary: MOMBASA, KENYA (MAY 14, 2010) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT OF INDIA OCEAN WATERS WITH SHIP SEEN IN THE HORIZON EAST AFRICA SEAFARERS ASSISTANT PROGRAMME CO-ORDINATOR ANDREW MWANGURA OVERLOOKING THE INDIAN OCEAN VARIOUS OF PILOT BOAT CRUISING THE OCEAN WATERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) EAST AFRICA SEAFARERS ASSISTANT PROGRAMME CO-ORDINATOR, ANDREW MWANGURA SAYING: "St. James Park w
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Reuters ID: LVA5AC7T5BCCQ2B3EUQWI3T8ASW1
  • Story Text: Somali pirates released a British-flagged chemical tanker that was hijacked last year after a ransom was paid on Thursday (May 13), officials said.
    EUNAVFOR statement did not say what amount was paid out as ransom in a statement issued late on Thursday.
    According to East Africa Sea Farers Association co-odinator Andrew Mwangura, the tanker was enroute to Thailand when it was seized by pirates on Dec. 28.
    With a deadweight of 13,924 tonnes, the tanker has a crew of 26 and all were said to be safe.
    "St. James Park was released yesterday in the afternoon by Somali pirates and now she is underway heading to safe waters. All 26 crew members including Indians, Bulgarians, Russians, Turkish, Filipinos, Romanians and Polish are said to be safe," said East Africa Seafarers association co-odinator Andrew Mwangura.
    Somali pirates have made tens of millions of dollars in ransoms off the coast of Somalia and consequently increased insurance premiums for ships.
    Pirates are still holding a British couple when they hijacked their vessel last October while sailing from Seychelles to Tanzania.
    "British managed is only Asian Glory and there are two Britons, Mr and Mrs Chandler who were taken captive or hijacked last year in October while they were sailing from Seychelles to Tanzania,'' Mwangura added.
    Some vessels have chosen to take longer, more costly routes to avoid areas where pirates operate. But the pirates have also widened their distance from the Somali coast.
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