Somali Pirates Capture Two Tankers, Greek Bulk Carrier and Yacht, While Three Ships Fired On

Armed pirates hijack Norwegian and Greek chemical tankers, Greek bulk carrier, and a Seychelles-registered yacht.



This week and in less than twenty-four hours, two tankers were captured, a Norwegian chemical tanker, the 23,000-ton M/V BOW ASIR, had a crew of 27, and the Greek ship, M/V NIPAVIA, had a crew of 23. On March 19th, pirates also hijacked the M/V TITAN, a Vincent-flagged, bulker with a crew of 24. The Somali pirates also seized a Seychelles-registered yacht with two crew members.

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In 2008, pirates along the coast attacked 111 ships and captured 42 ships. Seven ships have been seized so far this year. The attacks on commercial ships have almost been a daily occurrence in March of 2009. As we reported recently, Somalia has not had a functioning government since clan-based militias overthrew a socialist dictator in 1991 and then turned on each other.



NATO also said its anti-piracy fleet of five ships was resuming patrols off the Horn of Africa, joining at least 20 warships from the EU, the U.S., China, Russia and other navies that are trying to stop pirate attacks there.



Three other ships were attacked recently without being seized. Pirates fired rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons at Japanese, Greek and Hong Kong based cargo ships off the coast of Somalia, but escaped when they took evasive maneuvers.