KENYA: Hijacked South Korean ship heading for Somali coast

Record ID: 360869

  • Title: KENYA: Hijacked South Korean ship heading for Somali coast
  • Date: 7th April 2010
  • Summary: MOMBASA, KENYA (APRIL 6, 2010) (REUTERS) A PILOT BOAT CRUISING INTO THE PORT OF MOMBASA. ANDREW MWANGURA OF THE EAST AFRICAN SEAFARERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WAVES ON THE SHORE OF THE INDIAN OCEAN. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANDREW MWANGURA OF THE EAST AFRICAN SEAFARERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SAYING: "The South Korean ship, MV Samho Dream was hijacked last Sunday while underway fr
  • Embargoed: 22nd April 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Reuters ID: LVA2D4AZ1M655SA6UYHL05ZK3TBX
  • Story Text: Pirates seized a South Korean oil tanker on Sunday with 24 crew members in the Indian Ocean and were said to be sailing the vessel towards one of the pirate enclaves on the Somali coastline.
    Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based East Africa Seafarers Assistance Programme, a Maritime organisation on the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa, said the ship was carrying crude and was heading towards America.
    "The South Korean ship, MV Samho Dream was hijacked last Sunday while underway from Iraq to the USA laden with 300,000 tonnes of crude oil. On board are 24 crew members comprised of 5 koreans and 19 filipinos," said Andrew Mwangura.
    There are reports that the South Korean Navy has dispatched a destroyer to track the ship and Mwangura said this would add to the pirates worries and put the lives of the seamen in danger.
    "The ship is now under control of three gunmen and this is possible are Somali pirates. And she is moving slowly heading to Somali coast and we think she might be heading to Hardheere and we are informed that the South Korean navy are chasing the ship and we think maybe they might put the life of the crew in danger, although on board are only three gunmen and maybe they might feel jumpy and maybe cause the life of the seafarers in danger," said Mwangura.
    Sea gangs have acquired millions of dollars in ransoms and defied a flotilla of foreign warships that are trying to monitor the region's busy sea lanes.
    They have plagued the busy shipping lanes off Somalia for years. As well as holding some ships for ransom, pirates also hijack vessels to use as 'motherships' which ferry the gunmen and their speedboats far out to sea.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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