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| Seized tanker anchors off Somalia | Seized tanker anchors off Somalia |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Pirates have anchored a hijacked Saudi oil tanker off the Somali coast, as the spate of hijackings gathered pace with two more ships seized on Tuesday. | Pirates have anchored a hijacked Saudi oil tanker off the Somali coast, as the spate of hijackings gathered pace with two more ships seized on Tuesday. |
| Vela International said all 25 crew on the Sirius Star - the biggest tanker ever hijacked - were said to be safe. | Vela International said all 25 crew on the Sirius Star - the biggest tanker ever hijacked - were said to be safe. |
| The vessel is carrying a cargo of 2m barrels - a quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output - worth more than $100m. | The vessel is carrying a cargo of 2m barrels - a quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output - worth more than $100m. |
| A cargo ship and a fishing vessel were the latest to join more than 90 vessels attacked by the pirates this year. | A cargo ship and a fishing vessel were the latest to join more than 90 vessels attacked by the pirates this year. |
| A Hong Kong cargo vessel was attacked early on Tuesday morning in the Gulf of Aden, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said. | A Hong Kong cargo vessel was attacked early on Tuesday morning in the Gulf of Aden, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said. |
| Chinese media said the ship, with a crew of 25, was carrying wheat intended for Iran. | Chinese media said the ship, with a crew of 25, was carrying wheat intended for Iran. |
| The other vessel, a fishing boat registered in Kiribati, was carrying a crew of 12, the IMB said. Its owners lost contact with it on Tuesday morning. | The other vessel, a fishing boat registered in Kiribati, was carrying a crew of 12, the IMB said. Its owners lost contact with it on Tuesday morning. |
| 'Outrageous act' | 'Outrageous act' |
| The owner of the Sirius Star, seized on Saturday 450 nautical miles (830km) off the Kenyan coast, said they were not aware of any ransom demand. | The owner of the Sirius Star, seized on Saturday 450 nautical miles (830km) off the Kenyan coast, said they were not aware of any ransom demand. |
| SOMALIA PIRACY 92 attacks this year - most in the Gulf of Aden36 successful hijackings14 ships currently held, including the MV Faina carrying tanks268 crew held hostage Source: International Maritime Bureau, 2008 href="/1/hi/world/africa/7623329.stm">Life in Somalia's pirate town class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7734985.stm">Q&A: Somalia piracyRules frustrate anti-piracy efforts Technology sets sights on piracy | |
| Vela International said in a statement that it was "awaiting further contact from the pirates in control of the vessel". | Vela International said in a statement that it was "awaiting further contact from the pirates in control of the vessel". |
| Negotiations for the crew's release could be costly and protracted, says BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner. | |
| The South Korean-built vessel, which is about the length of a US aircraft carrier, was heading for the US via the southern tip of Africa when it was hijacked. | The South Korean-built vessel, which is about the length of a US aircraft carrier, was heading for the US via the southern tip of Africa when it was hijacked. |
| The US Navy described the seizure as an "unprecedented" attack. It confirmed that the tanker had anchored off the Somali coast near the town of Harardhere. | The US Navy described the seizure as an "unprecedented" attack. It confirmed that the tanker had anchored off the Somali coast near the town of Harardhere. |
| Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal condemned the hijacking as "an outrageous act", but gave no indication of what action, if any, Saudi Arabia intended to take. | Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal condemned the hijacking as "an outrageous act", but gave no indication of what action, if any, Saudi Arabia intended to take. |
| Somalis on shore spoke of their surprise at seeing the huge vessel pass just off the coast. | Somalis on shore spoke of their surprise at seeing the huge vessel pass just off the coast. |
| "I headed for the sea to fish, but I saw a very, very large ship anchored less than three miles (5km) off the shore," said Abdinur Haji, a fisherman in Harardhere. | "I headed for the sea to fish, but I saw a very, very large ship anchored less than three miles (5km) off the shore," said Abdinur Haji, a fisherman in Harardhere. |
| "I have been fishing here for three decades, but I have never seen a ship as big as this one," he said. | "I have been fishing here for three decades, but I have never seen a ship as big as this one," he said. |
| Response team | Response team |
| Vela International said a response team had been mobilised to work towards ensuring the safe release of vessel and crew. | Vela International said a response team had been mobilised to work towards ensuring the safe release of vessel and crew. |
| It said the crew consisted of two British, two Polish, one Croatian, one Saudi and 19 Philippine nationals. The captain is a Pole, Poland's foreign ministry confirmed. THE SIRIUS STAR Can carry 2m barrels of oil Biggest vessel to be hijacked 'I thought pirates would kill me' href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7736170.stm">Somali piracy: Your stories class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7735088.stm">UK hands over pirate suspects Pirates pass open water test | |
| Our security correspondent says that the hijacking was highly unusual because of the size of the ship involved and marks a major escalation in piracy. | |
| The seizure points to the inability of a multi-national naval task force sent to the region earlier this year to stop Somali piracy, he adds. | |
| The pirates are believed to have taken the tanker by surprise when they arrived on three fast small boats. | |
| Shipping analysts have speculated that they may be using so-called "mother ships" from which to launch their attacks from far out to sea, our correspondent says. | |
| Commander Jane Campbell, of the US Navy's 5th Fleet, told the BBC it had warned shipping companies that the US naval presence could "not be everywhere". | Commander Jane Campbell, of the US Navy's 5th Fleet, told the BBC it had warned shipping companies that the US naval presence could "not be everywhere". |
| "For that reason we have strongly encouraged proactive self-protection measures for the companies," she added. | "For that reason we have strongly encouraged proactive self-protection measures for the companies," she added. |
| War-torn Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991 and the anarchy on land has spread to the high seas in recent years. | War-torn Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991 and the anarchy on land has spread to the high seas in recent years. |
| Hijackings off the coast of East Africa and the Gulf of Aden - an area of more than 1m sq miles - make up one-third of all global piracy incidents this year, according the IMB. | Hijackings off the coast of East Africa and the Gulf of Aden - an area of more than 1m sq miles - make up one-third of all global piracy incidents this year, according the IMB. |
| They are usually resolved peacefully through negotiations for ransom. | They are usually resolved peacefully through negotiations for ransom. |
| Fourteen vessels currently remain captive in Somalia, with around 268 crew being held hostage, according to the IMB. One is a Ukrainian freighter seized in September carrying 33 tanks. | Fourteen vessels currently remain captive in Somalia, with around 268 crew being held hostage, according to the IMB. One is a Ukrainian freighter seized in September carrying 33 tanks. |
| Shipping companies are now weighing up the risks of using the short-cut route to Europe via the Suez canal. | Shipping companies are now weighing up the risks of using the short-cut route to Europe via the Suez canal. |
| "Under normal circumstances we send about 23 ships a week through the Gulf of Aden," Jan Hammer, chief operating officer of Norwegian firm Odfjell, told the BBC. | "Under normal circumstances we send about 23 ships a week through the Gulf of Aden," Jan Hammer, chief operating officer of Norwegian firm Odfjell, told the BBC. |
| "Because of the situation with the piracy we have decided that we are no longer - at least until the situation has been rectified - going to send ships through that area, which means that the ships will be routed via the Cape of Good Hope." | "Because of the situation with the piracy we have decided that we are no longer - at least until the situation has been rectified - going to send ships through that area, which means that the ships will be routed via the Cape of Good Hope." |
| Are you affected by the issues in this story? What are your experiences? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you affected by the issues in this story? What are your experiences? Send us your comments using the form below. |