UAE vessel was not hijacked, says maritime bureau
UAE vessel was not hijacked, says maritime bureau
Dubai: A UAE ship was not hijacked in Somali waters on Sunday and earlier wire reports claiming such an incident were not true, according to an international body that monitors ocean crimes.
Reports that the Al Manara registered in St Kitts and owned by a UAE company was seized by pirates were due to "confusion" of the ship's captain, who thought that two local Somalis on board were pirates, said Jayant Abhyankar, deputy director of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).
He told Gulf News from London the US Navy approached the ship after receiving a message from the captain that his ship was hijacked.
"Their investigation found that the master became nervous with the presence of two Somali persons on board and transmitted a message saying that his ship was being hijacked," according to IMB.
The two Somali local militia were on the ship with the knowledge of the ship's owner and had boarded the vessel to discuss provision of security against pirate attacks.
The IMB official said the Al Manara crew were safe and unharmed. International wires reported on Wednesday that the Al Manara had been hijacked and pirates were holding 20 of its crew hostage.
IMB has advised ships to stay at least 200 nautical miles from the north-eastern and eastern coast of Somalia due to frequent hijackings.
Abhyankar said there have been 15 hijackings since March last year and five ships are still held off Somalia.
According to the IMB, the pirate gangs appear to have the protection and support of the local warlords and see hijackings as a lucrative source of revenue with minimal risk to them.
Talking about the hijacking methods of pirates, the IMB said: "Vessels are approached by one or two fast boats. The pirates on board have automatic weapons and sometimes a rocket propelled grenade launcher.
"They will fire on the bridge windows of the vessel to force the captain to slow down or stop. Once the vessel slows down, the pirates draw up alongside and clamber on board and take over the vessel."
