Somali pirates have hijacked a Pakistan-flagged fishing vessel, a spokesman for the European Union’s anti-piracy force told AP today.
Cmdr. John Harbour said the pirates seized the "MV Shahbaig" Tuesday. He said there are 29 crew on board and more details will be available later Wednesday.
The news of the Pakistani vessel being hijacked comes two days after an Indian navy ship reportedly thwarted a pirate attack on a Norwegian tanker in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia. An Indian warship patrolling the seas responded to a distress call from the tanker belonging to the Nordic American Tanker Company after it was fired upon by pirates.
Pirates are still holding hundreds of crew and a dozen vessels hostage in Somalia, said AP.
Piracy has remained at high levels this year despite a growing number of international warships and extra safety precautions taken by merchant vessels.
Somalia does not have a coast guard or navy to stop the pirates because it has not had an effective central government for 18 years. (MAMOSA)
