Somali Pirates Seize Greek Ship, Crew

Greek Vessel Is 13th Attacked In 2 Months, 55th This Year By Increasingly Brazen Pirates

(CBS/AP)  Armed pirates hijacked a Greek bulk carrier with 26 crew members off the coast of Somalia on Thursday, the 13th ship seized in the notorious African waters in the past two months, according to an officials.

CBS News reporter Barnaby Lo said the crew members taken captive on the vessel were all Filipino, according to the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs. The figure would bring to at least 80 the number of Filipino seafarers currently held captive by Somali pirates.

The ship was en route to Kenya when it was attacked off Somalia's eastern coast, said Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau.

He said the latest incident showed that Somali pirates, who were previously operating off the country's northern coast in the Gulf of Aden, have to begun to attack ships in the east.

A multinational naval force patrolling the area has been informed, and ships have been warned to stay clear of Somalia's coast, he said.

"We advise ships to stay at least 250 miles from the coast and even then, they must maintain a strict watch," Choong said.

The latest incident brings to 55 the number of attacks on ships off the coast Somalia this year, most of which occurred in the Gulf of Aden. The surge of attacks has prompted the U.S. Naval Central Command to establish a security corridor patrolled by an international coalition of warships.

The Gulf of Aden, which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, is one of the world's busiest waterways with some 20,000 ships passing through it each year.

Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991. Pirates there are often trained fighters, many of them dressed in military fatigues and typically armed with automatic weapons, anti-tank rocket launchers and grenades.

[webgammon]

Are you kidding me? These companies pay the ransome? OMG, I guess they deserve what they get then. What a waste.

[downsteamjim]

Maybe they will hijack a ship load of Chinese milk formula.

[minnick8-2009]

Somolia is just a cess pool and needs to be erradicated so they can start over.

Posted by afmca

Yes, what are we waiting for?

[downsteamjim]

These are muslims doing good works for Allah. ''Thou shalt not steal'' is such a dated, useless, and Western concept.

[avigil2]

Where is Johnny Depp when you need him?

[displeased]

What do they do with the ships? I mean it''''s not like its a car that you can easily unload. If this is the 55th ship this year, where are they?
Posted by webgammon

Once the pirates receive their ransom, the crew and ships are released.

[thevicar1]

Arrrrrrrrr, I guess they shivered their timbers a bit, arrrrrrr. Perhaps we should make em ''walk the plank''?
Send em down to Davey Jones locker...Arrrrrrrr.

[webgammon]

What do they do with the ships? I mean it''s not like its a car that you can easily unload. If this is the 55th ship this year, where are they?

[afmca]

Either the US military or NATO needs to totally destroy the Somolia pirates, their bases, their ships, their criminals. It not like it would take much time or effort .. this type of brazen terrorism is what needs to be wiped off the face of the earth. Somolia is just a cess pool and needs to be erradicated so they can start over.

[xmanborg]

AAAAAAArrrrrr

Somali Pirates Seize Greek Ship and now they will loot and plunder and drink with the wenches on the high seas.

[ursodumb]

we should accidentally nuke somalia. then apologize.