KENYA: Soviet-era tanks are driven off a ship in Mombasa several days after the ship was freed by Somali pirates

Record ID: 361862

  • Title: KENYA: Soviet-era tanks are driven off a ship in Mombasa several days after the ship was freed by Somali pirates
  • Date: 14th February 2009
  • Summary: MOMBASA, KENYA (FEBRUARY 14, 2009) (REUTERS) MV FAINA SHIP / ARMY PERSONNEL GUARDING PORT WORKERS ARMY PERSONNEL HOLDING GUNS PHOTOGRAPHER POINTING LONG LENS ***DUSK/NIGHTSHOTS*** A TANK BEING DRIVEN FROM SHIP PEOPLE LOOKING ON MORE OF TANK ON PORT VARIOUS OF ANTI-AIRCRAFT VEHICLE BEING PULLED FROM SHIP BY AN ARMY TRUCK TANKS/ SHIP IN THE BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF ARMY GU
  • Embargoed: 1st March 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVAAMX5A63HZK6AM8ML2IRZEC2YR
  • Story Text: Thirty-three tanks aboard a Ukrainian ship freed by Somali pirates after a five-month hijack were being offloaded at a port in Kenya on Saturday (February 14).
    In one of the highest-profile seizures of recent times, hijackers captured the MV Faina in September with its 20-man crew and a cargo of Soviet-era T-72 tanks plus other weapons.
    A regional maritime group based in Kenya, and foreign diplomats in the region, have said that 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 the allegation.
    Kenyan officials have said the military cargo would be transported to a military base within the country.
    The Somali pirates released the Faina last week after taking a ransom of $3.2 million 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
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register