Current Articles & News v.7

Here are links to current articles and new releases regarding the crisis of international hijacking by pirates (terrorists).

54 Filipino seamen still in Somali pirates' hands Fifty-four Filipino seamen remain in the hands of their ransom-seeking Somali captors after 36 of their colleagues were freed over the weekend, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. The remaining sailors are crew members of the four ships that are still in the custody of the pirates in Somalia, namely: the MTAfrican Sanderling (hijacked on Oct. 15), MT Stolt Strength (hijacked on Nov. 11), Tianyu No. 8 (hijacked on Nov. 14), and the MV Chemstar Venus (hijacked on Nov. 16). (ChinaView, 01/12/2009)

Saudi tanker (Sirius Star) 'freed off Somalia' A Saudi supertanker that was captured by Somali pirates in November carrying two million barrels of oil has been released, reports quoting pirates say. A negotiator for the pirates told the BBC a $3m (£1.95m) ransom was paid. A small plane was seen apparently dropping the ransom by parachute onto the tanker. Coalition naval forces in Bahrain said it appeared that the pirates on the Sirius Star had received a ransom payment in a container parachuted from a plane. Reuters later reported that five of the pirates making off with the ransom money had drowned after their boat was hit by high seas. (BBC, 01/09/2009)

Hostages freed from pirates off Somalia, Nigeria Pirates freed 20 hostages aboard a Turkish freighter commandeered off the Somali coast, as nine captives on a French boat were released off southern Nigeria, the boat owners said Wednesday. The Yasa Holding Co. said pirates freed the Yasa Neslihan freighter Tuesday after paying a ransom. The Turkish ship was seized Oct. 29 in the Gulf of Aden, which connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean near Somalia. (AP, 01/07/2009)