Pirates Hijack Iranian Fishing Vessel off Somalia
Authorities warn that it could be used as a mother ship for further hijackings
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Pirates have hijacked an Iranian fishing vessel at a position off the northeastern coast of Somalia, according to EUNAVFOR's Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO).
At about 0900 hours UTC, armed pirates boarded the fishing vessel Azini at a position near 09°42'N 053°55'E, about 185 nautical miles to the east of Bandarbayla, Somalia. The crew's safety remains unknown, MSCIO reported.
Azini matches the profile of vessels preferred by Somali pirates for use as mother ships - smaller vessels hijacked in order to secure a mobile base for hijacking much larger merchant vessels, at ranges beyond the reach of Somali speedboats.
An officer with Puntland's maritime police told AP that a group of 12 pirates had captured the Azini and the ship's 23 crewmembers, including 21 Iranian fishermen and two Somali guards.
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By Saturday, Azini had transited another 110 nautical miles to the east (09°47’N 055°45’E), putting the fishing vessel nearer to a common transit route for merchant shipping. MSCIO reiterated its warning that the vessel might be used as a pirate mothership.
Somali pirates have returned to the business of hijacking in earnest this year, capturing half a dozen vessels over the summer. These crimes sometimes turn deadly: in September, a local police raid on the hijacked tanker Honour 25 captured 16 suspected pirates, but not before the hijackers had killed five hostages in an onboard shootout.
