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Maltese-registered tanker released by pirates
Somali pirates have released the Maltese registered oil tanker that they hijacked a month ago as it was on its way from the United Arab Emirates to South Africa, a maritime official said yesterday.
The MV San Carlo was back on its way to South Africa yesterday, said Andrew Mwangura, head of the Kenyan chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Programme. It was not clear whether a ransom had been paid for the release of the vessel and its crew of 24, he said.
Several pirate groups operate along Somalia’s 1,880-mile coastline, Africa’s longest. The Horn of Africa nation has had no effective government since opposition leaders ousted a dictatorship in 1991 and then turned on one another. On 5 November, two boats of pirates attacked a luxury cruise liner carrying mostly American as well as some Australian and European passengers.
The Seabourn Spirit sped away and no passengers were injured, but one member of the 161 strong crew was wounded by shrapnel in the raid.
