In recent months, ships of some import have now fallen prey to modern day pirates, who have taken nearly two million gallons of crude, tons of wheat, as well as crew members, the LA Times reported, and the Sirius Star, bound for somewhere OTHER than Somalia, is anchored off the coast, while the pirates who took her apparently struck again.
Their target was a Hong Kong cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden, the Financial Times of the UK reports about an hour ago. The Delight has 25 crew members and 36,000 tons of wheat, and hijackers were reportedly steering it toward Somalia. It’s the latest in a string of these type hijackings, including the Saudi super-tanker.
Reports are coming in which now say that the Somali pirates could force shipping detours, while other countries move to assure the security of the crews and arms aboard the ships.
“It’s the largest ship that we’ve seen pirated,” said a US Navy spokesman.
The Saudi ship also has 25 crew members aboard, as well as 2 million barrels of oil. Generally, the hijackers have little interest in the actual cargo and demand ransoms for the safe return of the ship and crew.
In all, it is reported that Somali pirates are holding 16 ships and more than 250 sailors hostage…