Pirates pack year-end punch

Despite some success by
multinational anti-piracy
task forces, Somali pirates
had a ‘field year’ in 2009,
netting well over US$50
million and placing a final
stamp on their presence
by capturing two vessels
days before 2009 ran out
of steam.
In the wake of a US$4
million, helicopterdelivered
ransom for the
release of a Chinese-owned
bulk carrier captured on
October 18 while en route
with a cargo of coal
from South Africa to India,
and the December 28
release, for an unspecified
ransom, of a PIL vessel,
Kota Wajar, came news
of further Somali
piracy successes.
First they seized the
UK-flagged tanker, St
James Park, the first to
be hijacked in the Gulf of
Aden (off the Somali coast)
for nearly six months,
while sailing from Spain
to Thailand.
Three hours later, a
Panamanian carrier was
seized off the Somali coast,
accounting for 45 crew
(between the two vessels)
now held hostage.
The EU Naval Task
Force confirmed the latest
incidents increased the
number of attacks off East
Africa/Gulf of Aden to 214
by the end of 2009 –
47 vessels seized of which
12 ships and 263 crew
remain in the hands of
the pirates.