<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Oct 15, 2009
SOMALI PIRATES SEIZE S'PORE SHIP
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>21 people on seized ship <!--10 min-->
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Somali pirates on Thursday seized a Singapore-flagged container ship in the Indian Ocean near the Seychelles. -- PHOTO: AFP
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->NAIROBI - SOMALI pirates seized a Singapore-flagged container ship Thursday in the Indian Ocean, as subsiding seasonal winds near the Seychelles allow hijackers back on the high seas.
'The Singapore flagged and owned boxship Kota Wajar was seized around 300 nautical miles north the Seychelles,' said Mr Andrew Mwangura, who heads the Kenyan chapter of East African Seafarers Assistance Programme. He said the ship had 21 crew members and had been heading to the Kenyan port of Mombasa.
A maritime source in the area, who did not wish to be identified, said that the attack took place early Thursday, 24 nautical miles from the site of recent attacks on French tuna-fishing boats.
The maritime security centre of the European Union, which has an anti-piracy naval force patrolling waters affected by Somali piracy, also confirmed the hijacking.
In Singapore, the vessel's home port, the Maritime and Port authority said it was working 'with the ship owner and relevant agencies' after it was boarded by 'unidentified men'.
The latest hijacking brings to at least six the number of vessels in the hands of Somali pirates. The others include a Spanish trawler, a Taiwanese fishing vessel and Ukrainian, German and Turkish freighters. -- AFP
SOMALI PIRATES SEIZE S'PORE SHIP
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>21 people on seized ship <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Somali pirates on Thursday seized a Singapore-flagged container ship in the Indian Ocean near the Seychelles. -- PHOTO: AFP
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->NAIROBI - SOMALI pirates seized a Singapore-flagged container ship Thursday in the Indian Ocean, as subsiding seasonal winds near the Seychelles allow hijackers back on the high seas.
'The Singapore flagged and owned boxship Kota Wajar was seized around 300 nautical miles north the Seychelles,' said Mr Andrew Mwangura, who heads the Kenyan chapter of East African Seafarers Assistance Programme. He said the ship had 21 crew members and had been heading to the Kenyan port of Mombasa.
A maritime source in the area, who did not wish to be identified, said that the attack took place early Thursday, 24 nautical miles from the site of recent attacks on French tuna-fishing boats.
The maritime security centre of the European Union, which has an anti-piracy naval force patrolling waters affected by Somali piracy, also confirmed the hijacking.
In Singapore, the vessel's home port, the Maritime and Port authority said it was working 'with the ship owner and relevant agencies' after it was boarded by 'unidentified men'.
The latest hijacking brings to at least six the number of vessels in the hands of Somali pirates. The others include a Spanish trawler, a Taiwanese fishing vessel and Ukrainian, German and Turkish freighters. -- AFP
