KENYA: Ukrainian ship 'MV Faina' laden with tanks and freed by Somali pirates after a five-month hijack arrives in Kenya

Record ID: 361466

  • Title: KENYA: Ukrainian ship 'MV Faina' laden with tanks and freed by Somali pirates after a five-month hijack arrives in Kenya
  • Date: 14th February 2009
  • Summary: MOMBASA, KENYA (FEBRUARY 13, 2009) (REUTERS) FAINA CHANGING DOCKING STATIONS KENYA ARMY MILITARY PERSONNEL LOOKING ON VARIOUS OF FAINA NEW CREW WORKING ON VESSEL AERIAL VIEW OF MV FAINA KENYA AND UKRAINIAN FLAG ON VESSEL MV FAINA'S RAMP LOWERING ON DOCK KENYAN PORTS AUTHORITY AN KENYA ARMY PERSONNEL DISCUSSING KENYAN ARMY PERSONNEL WALKING ON RAMP WITH MV FAINA CREW IN THE BACKGROUND CREW ON BOTTOM PART OF VESSEL WITH A TANKER IN THE BACKGROUND WIDE OF MV FAINA WITH KENYA MILITARY PERSONNEL IN FOREGROUND
  • Embargoed: 1st March 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA28H5N4E2W7EIE5DWYBTSUTJP8
  • Story Text: Ukrainian ship laden with 33 Soviet-era T-72 tanks and other weapons docked at a Kenyan port on Friday. The ship was freed by Somali pirates after a five-month hijack.
    A Ukrainian ship laden with tanks and freed by Somali pirates after a five-month hijack was docked at a port in Kenya on Friday (February 13) with the sensitive military cargo still believed to be on board.
    In one of the highest-profile seizures of recent times, pirates captured the MV Faina in September with its 20-man crew and a cargo of 33 Soviet-era T-72 tanks plus other weapons.
    A regional maritime group based in Kenya, and foreign diplomats in the region, have said the Faina's arms cargo was destined for south Sudan via Kenya -- a possible embarrassment for Kenya, which helped broker a 2005 peace deal there.
    But Kenyan and Ukrainian officials have denied that.
    The Somali pirates released the Faina last week after taking a ransom of $3.2 million(USD) from its owners, according to regional maritime sources and members of the gang themselves.
    The ship's manifest, seen by Reuters, lists Kenya as the "consignee" but gives MOD/GOSS as the contract reference.
    GOSS is an abbreviation widely used around Africa for Government of South Sudan. But Nairobi has said in this context it stood for "General Ordinance Supplies and Security", a department of Kenya's defence ministry.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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