Somali Pirates Release Iranian Bulk Carrier After 1 Week
After seizing the Bolivian-flagged MV Eglantine off India’s coast just one week ago (March 26, 2012), Somali pirates have now released the bulk carrier that had 23 crewmen onboard.
The crew was reportedly released on Monday night and the vessel was immediately en route to Iran to unload its cargo. The ship, owned by Andulena Corp. of Tehran, was carrying tons of sugar when it was hijacked by the pirates near Maldives. The ship is still only possibly pirate-free, however.
The Somalia Report indicates that the ship is no longer under pirate’s control after Iranian commandos raided the bulker. They allegedly have arrested 13 pirates after a couple days of armed confrontations off Iran's territorial waters. The detainees are being transferred to Iran. The Iranian Navy has been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008.
About half of the crew members were Filipino seamen, but the Philippine government does not negotiate or pay ransom to kidnappers. Instead, the give ship owners the free hand in negotiating for the release of abducted sailors.
Hijackings this year have spread further east as the waters grow calmer, allowing pirates to travel further from Somalia, according to The National. The seasonal trend continues until late June or early July, after which monsoons make the sea more difficult for piracy.
