Maritime Casualties--February 11, 2010
Pirates hijack North Korean ship and release two tankers.
• North Korean Cargo Ship Hijacked
Somali pirates hijacked a North Korean cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden with an unknown number of crew on board last Wednesday.
The European Union Naval Force reported the tanker, MV Rim, was seized outside of the internationally recommended transit corridor patrolled by naval coalitions. MV Rim has not made any communication with maritime authorities. According to reports, an American warship, USS Porter and a helicopter from USS Farragut witnessed and confirmed the hijacking.
The 4,800-ton cargo ship, owned by White Sea Shipping of Libya, is carrying unknown cargo and was headed toward the Somali coast with warships monitoring.
The MV Rim is the third ship seized by pirates this year.
• Two Bulk Carriers Released from Pirates
After bulk carrier Ariella sent a distress signal early Friday that pirates were attempting a hijack, Danish special forces rushed to repel the attack. The troops approached the vessel and boarded off inflatable dinghys. Danish warship Absalon sent a helicopter to confirm pirates were in the area and sustained communication with the crew.
The 25 crew of the Ariella saw a skiff with pirates approaching and once they saw the first pirate board, they fled to a safe room. Special forces found the 25 crew of the locked in a room and searched the ship for pirates.
Pirates have also released the hijacked bulk carrier Al Khaliq after a multi-million dollar ransom was paid. The Panamanian-flagged tanker was seized last October west of the Seychelles. Al Khaliq, with over 35,000 metric tons of wheat grain for Mombasa in Kenya, sailed free from the Somali coast near Harardheere with all crew on board safe.