Three Dhows Freed By Somali Pirates (ecoterra)

THREE DHOWS FREED BY SOMALI PIRATES (ecoterra)

Three cargo dhows out of nine were released by Somali pirates after they run out of fuel in one case, looted another one and failed in an attempt to hijack a chemical tanker.

Indian flagged MSV AL KADRI was then the second to be released with her 11 men crew from Mandvi Taluka in Kutch district, after the pirates had stripped the white-green vessel and crew of equipment. The Indian flagged 500 ton launch (Official Reg No.: MNV 2096) was seized March 28, 2010, at 1530 hrs in approx position S 03-38 E 51-31. With a max speed of only 6-7 knots the vessel is also slowly on her way to India, official sources stated, though its next harbour was supposed to be in the UAE. The vessel Al-Kadri was now near the Omani coast and on her way to Dubai, the secretary of the shipping association said.

“We came to know about the release of the vessel after captain of Al-Kadri, which was hijacked by Somalian pirates on March 28, contacted his family members in Mandvi (Kutch),” Bholim told PTI. “All the 11 sailors are from Mandvi Taluka in Kutch, while the boat owner is from Mundra Taluka,” he said.
Bholim said that the pirates looted all the navigation equipment of the vessel and other valuables before releasing it early today and he added: “They were near the Omani coast and would be reaching Dubai soon,”

Expressing concerns over hijacking of Indian vessels by Somali pirates, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had recently written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, requesting him to accord top priority for safe release of the sailors.
Since the vessel is carrying a cargo of illegal charcoal from Somalia, captain, vessel and cargo must be arrested at the next port call for shipping contraband and endangering the crew.

The third vessel released is MV SAFINA AL-BAYATIRI, which was seized April 02, 2010 with about 21 sailors as crew as well as  432 cattle and 1400 goats as cargo shortly after leaving the port of Berbera, in self-declared republic of Somaliland after having delivered food commodities and cars. While now en route to Salalah in Oman ten pirates attacked the vessel from a skiff and boarded the ship.

The large dhow was then misused to launch an attack against Danish-flagged chemical and oil-products tanker MT TORM RAGNHILD at 05h39 UTC (08h39 LT) on Staurday, 3rd April 2010 in the Gulf of Aden at position 13:51.7N – 051:05.1E. The pirates armed with RPG and automatic guns chased and opened fire on the tanker, who enforced anti piracy measures, made evasive manoeuvres and requested for assistance. Adam Bhaya, secretary of the Vahanvatta association, stated: “In fact, reports reaching us say that the pirates forced some of the Indian crew to join in the attack but in vain.”

A military aircraft arrived at the location and circled the tanker, who evaded the attack thanks to the alertness of her captain and continued the passage through the protected officially protected corridor. And a Turkish warship that presently patrols the area under the NATO anti-piracy mission was then shadowed the dhow while she was commandeered towards Elayo at the Gulf of Aden coast of Northern Somalia.

According to the secretary Bhaya, however, it was an American naval vessel which helped save the Indian cargo vessel, while in reality the captors then left the vessel as soon as they had reached the coast while dispatched Puntland land forces and coast guards on operation to nab the suspected pirates and rescue the boat failed.
“Gayatri is now on her way to Salalah in Oman along with the crew who are safe,” Bhaya added.

The case is also demonstrating the still appalling livestock export conditions. Though  it is important for the Somali economy to export cattle, camel, goat and sheep to the Saudi peninsula, ways and means must be found to improve the conditions under which the domestic animals are exported alive and to help the Somalis to built meat processing plants, which would curb the suffering of the animals, boost the export earnings of Somalia not at least make the Somali livestock economy independent from the often enough politically motivated livestock export bans.