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Somali Pirates Hijack Ship With 20 Americans Onboard
An American-flagged container ship with a crew of 20 Americans aboard has been hijacked by pirates hundreds of miles off the coast of Somalia marking the first time that American seamen have been seized by pirates who infest the shipping lanes off the east coast of Africa.
The Danish shipping company Maersk confirmed the seizure of the Maersk Alabama, a 17,000 ton container ship that was formerly known as the Alva Maersk. The ship was seized while enroute to Mombasa, Kenya.
"Our initial concern is to ensure proper support of the crew and assistance to their families. At this point in time we do not have any further information," Maersk said in a statement.
Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Program also confirmed the ship's seizure to ABC News and says the crew are reported to be "safe." Mwangura says it is the first time he can recall that American seamen have been seized off the pirate-infested Somali coastline.
Mwangura could not recall the last time Americans were captured by pirates. "Over 100 years ago," was his estimate.
"To take away an American ship is not easy," Mwangura said. "Maersk is a big company, with good security and good management. It's one of the companies with proper security training for seamen."
The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain said the ship was seized at 7:30 a.m. local time in the Indian Ocean, about 240 nautical miles east of the Somali town of Eyl. There was a U.S. Navy warship 300 nautical miles away when the Alabama was boarded, but the Navy is not discussing what operations its ships in the area might be undertaking in the wake of the attack.
A Defense Department official told ABC News that the U.S. destroyer Bainbridge was heading towards the location where the Alabama was captured. The official said the Bainbridge intends to get close enough to the container ship to be able to monitor the situation.
The Bainbridge is not expected to take any military action, the official said, because the shipping line has indicated it will handle the crisis through negotiations with the pirates and the Navy usually defers to the ship owners as to what course of action will be taken.
Roger Middleton, Somali piracy expert from the London-based think tank Chatham House, said the capture of American sailors "puts the stakes much higher and the U.S. will be watching them very closely."
For the pirates "this is not necessarily a bad thing as Americans are more valuable than say Fillippinos or even Brits. Their ransom demands will be commensurately higher, but it comes at a much higher risk."
Fifth Fleet heads an international naval task force to deter piracy off the coast of Somalia. The European Union and NATO also have naval task forces in the area to combat pirates. Just yesterday, they issued a new warning to mariners in the region about increased pirate activity.
Mwangura said the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama demonstrates the change in the pirates' tactics by attacking ships away from the Gulf of Aden to the Indian Ocean where most of the Navy task force is concentrated. The pirates are now hunting in the Indian Ocean east and south-east of the Somali and Kenyan coastline.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/...7287055&page=1
The Danish shipping company Maersk confirmed the seizure of the Maersk Alabama, a 17,000 ton container ship that was formerly known as the Alva Maersk. The ship was seized while enroute to Mombasa, Kenya.
"Our initial concern is to ensure proper support of the crew and assistance to their families. At this point in time we do not have any further information," Maersk said in a statement.
Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Program also confirmed the ship's seizure to ABC News and says the crew are reported to be "safe." Mwangura says it is the first time he can recall that American seamen have been seized off the pirate-infested Somali coastline.
Mwangura could not recall the last time Americans were captured by pirates. "Over 100 years ago," was his estimate.
"To take away an American ship is not easy," Mwangura said. "Maersk is a big company, with good security and good management. It's one of the companies with proper security training for seamen."
The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain said the ship was seized at 7:30 a.m. local time in the Indian Ocean, about 240 nautical miles east of the Somali town of Eyl. There was a U.S. Navy warship 300 nautical miles away when the Alabama was boarded, but the Navy is not discussing what operations its ships in the area might be undertaking in the wake of the attack.
A Defense Department official told ABC News that the U.S. destroyer Bainbridge was heading towards the location where the Alabama was captured. The official said the Bainbridge intends to get close enough to the container ship to be able to monitor the situation.
The Bainbridge is not expected to take any military action, the official said, because the shipping line has indicated it will handle the crisis through negotiations with the pirates and the Navy usually defers to the ship owners as to what course of action will be taken.
Roger Middleton, Somali piracy expert from the London-based think tank Chatham House, said the capture of American sailors "puts the stakes much higher and the U.S. will be watching them very closely."
For the pirates "this is not necessarily a bad thing as Americans are more valuable than say Fillippinos or even Brits. Their ransom demands will be commensurately higher, but it comes at a much higher risk."
Fifth Fleet heads an international naval task force to deter piracy off the coast of Somalia. The European Union and NATO also have naval task forces in the area to combat pirates. Just yesterday, they issued a new warning to mariners in the region about increased pirate activity.
Mwangura said the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama demonstrates the change in the pirates' tactics by attacking ships away from the Gulf of Aden to the Indian Ocean where most of the Navy task force is concentrated. The pirates are now hunting in the Indian Ocean east and south-east of the Somali and Kenyan coastline.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/...7287055&page=1
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