Piracy & Ship Attacks May 20, 2010

Pirates seize 2 Russian Sailors
Pirates kidnapped two Russian Sailors during an attack on a cargo ship, the MV NORTH SPIRIT off the coast of Cameroon. The ship carrying fertilizer and soya beans was attacked while it was anchored off Cameroon’s commercial capital, Douala.

Reports say that an estimated 20 pirates boarded the ship and stole the equipment and the sailor’s personal belongings, Sunday. The pirates then took the ship’s captain and chief engineer hostage., forcing them onto their skiff at gunpoint. Where they have taken the sailors in unknown and no ransom has been demanded yet.

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Somali Pirate pleads guilty in US court
Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Tuesday to charges of hijacking the Maersk Alabama off the coast of Somalia last year and taking its captain hostage.

Muse, who is believed to be a teenager, apologized for the attack and blamed the piracy on problems in Somalia. He will be sentenced October 19 to at least 27 years with a maximum of 34 years in prison.

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Two hijacked ships arrive on Somali shore
The MV PANEGA and the ELENI P have both arrived on the Somali coast, near Garacad. They are anchored and being held for ransom. The ships were hijacked last week on May 11 & 12.

The ELENI P has a crew of 26 and the MV PANEGA has a crew of 15.