KENYA: Official says South Korean fishing ship has been hijacked by Somali pirates

Record ID: 362005

  • Title: KENYA: Official says South Korean fishing ship has been hijacked by Somali pirates
  • Date: 18th October 2010
  • Summary: MOMBASA, KENYA (OCTOBER 17, 2010) (REUTERS) WIDE OF MOMBASA PORT WITH SHIPS DOCKED EAST AFRICAN SEAFARERS ASSOCIATION CO-ORDINATOR ANDREW MWANGURA, LOOKING TOWARDS OCEAN SHIP IN DEEP WATERS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN MWANGURA LOOKING ON CARGO SHIP HEADING TO MOMBASA PORT (SOUNDBITE) (English) EAST AFRICAN SEAFARERS ASSOCIATION CO-ORDINATOR ANDREW MWANGURA, SAYING: "A Kenyan
  • Embargoed: 2nd November 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA59BGS7APV2J8MKLDTRUPRFU5L
  • Story Text: An official from East African maritime group blamed Somali pirates for hijacking a South Korean fishing vessel in Kenyan territorial waters.
    Somali Pirates hijacked a South Korean fishing vessel, the Golden Wave, on October 9 close to the coast of Kenya, a maritime official said on Sunday (October 17) .
    "A Kenyan flagged, Korean owned fishing vessel, Golden Wave is currently under captive in Harardhere. She was hijacked by pirates on 9th October while in fishing grounds near Kyunga about 10 nautical miles north of Lamu, that's Kenyan waters. Crew members onboard are 39 Kenyans, two Koreans and two Chinese," said Andrew Mwangura, co-ordinator for the East African Seafarers Association.
    "They have made no ransom demands and the ship has lost contact with the ship owners since 9th October up to date, so there is no communication from the pirates neither the crew members onboard," he added.
    Somali pirate gangs have been causing havoc in busy strategic shipping itineries off East African coast for several years earning ransoms worth millions of dollars from vessel owners.
    "As 4th October up to date, the Somali pirates have managed to take ships inside Kenyan waters and Somali waters and they have made about 24 attacks in this region, so this indicates that the situation is very terrible," said Mwangura.
    Somali pirates were held responsible for more than half of the 406 reported incidents in 2009. They hijacked 47 vessels and took hostage 867 crew members said the International Maritime Bureau.
    Most vessels and crew are released unharmed after a ransom has been paid, although some sailors have been wounded during hijacking and suffered from various health problems after protracted periods of captivity.
    Pirate attacks globally declined by nearly a fifth in the first half of 2010 from the same period last year due to a strong naval presence in the area.
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