Nairobi: Pirates seized two vessels over the weekend and were towing a German-owned tanker to the Somali coast Sunday, according to maritime officials.
The pirates attacked the German-owned Marida Marguerite about 190 kilometers south of Oman on Saturday, as it was heading from India to Belgium, the EUNval Force (EUNVFOR) said, adding that there is an international crew of 22 onboard, consisting of 19 Indians, 1 Ukrainian and 2 Bangladeshis.
Commander John Harbour, a spokesman for the EUNVFOR, said it is unlikely that military forces will storm the ship, as the officials don't believe the crew all made it to a safe room before the pirates boarded.
Just hours before the seizure, Somali pirates hijacked a Taiwanese fishing boat, the Tai Yuan 227, off the Horn of Africa coast. The boat had 26 crewmembers, including nine mainlanders, according to the International Maritime Bureau, the Xinhua News Agency said.
The vessel's owner temporarily lost contact with the ship when it was north of the Seychelles, on its way to the Maldives, according to Xinhua. After communications were restored Friday, the pirates demanded a ransom. [10/05/10]
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