The Thai-flagged fishing trawler “Thai Unit 3” that was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean is crewed by 23 Russians, two men from Ghana and two from the Philippines.
A naval aircraft spotted pirates aboard the ship, which is now believed to be heading toward Somalia. It is the fourth vessel hijacked in the area over the past fortnight, and the eighth currently being held.
The owner of “Thai Unit 3” has requested that the insurance company start talks with the terrorists as soon as possible. The talks may start as early as Sunday, when the ship reaches Somalia. However at the moment they are unable to establish contact with the vessel and no demands have been made by the pirates.
John Harbour, a spokesman for the EU naval force, said the information is fairly limited at the moment. The pilot of the EU naval force aircraft saw skiffs (small boats) on the deck of the Thai-flagged fishing ship.
“And this is an indication that the pirates have taken the vessel,” Harbour said.
When the ship was captured, he said, it was able to send a signal to the UK Maritime Trade Organization in Dubai.
“And that system alerted the flagship of the EU naval force, “Atalanta,” and the force commander was able to launch maritime patrol aircraft from the Seychelles to fly over the ‘Thai Unit 3,’” he said.
It’s currently being tailed by a British Royal naval warship. Officials say, no one has been harmed and the vessel has enough supplies on board.
The EU naval force will continue monitor the vessel, which is “presently 500 miles off the Somali coast,” according to Harbour.
So far there’s been no information about pirates trying to contact the ship’s owners.
Relatives of the crew complain they're being left in the dark.
“I'm waiting for my father to come home. He went to sea safe and sound, and I want to see him back home safe and sound. I don't want for anything from the state – only action, not indifference. Until now nobody has called us to tell what has happepned, to ask if we need anything. Nobody! We're piecing together the information for ourselves from various sources,” Elena Gritchina, a kidnapped sailor's daughter said.
A naval aircraft spotted pirates aboard the ship, which is now believed to be heading toward Somalia. It is the fourth vessel hijacked in the area over the past fortnight, and the eighth currently being held.
The owner of “Thai Unit 3” has requested that the insurance company start talks with the terrorists as soon as possible. The talks may start as early as Sunday, when the ship reaches Somalia. However at the moment they are unable to establish contact with the vessel and no demands have been made by the pirates.
John Harbour, a spokesman for the EU naval force, said the information is fairly limited at the moment. The pilot of the EU naval force aircraft saw skiffs (small boats) on the deck of the Thai-flagged fishing ship.
“And this is an indication that the pirates have taken the vessel,” Harbour said.
When the ship was captured, he said, it was able to send a signal to the UK Maritime Trade Organization in Dubai.
“And that system alerted the flagship of the EU naval force, “Atalanta,” and the force commander was able to launch maritime patrol aircraft from the Seychelles to fly over the ‘Thai Unit 3,’” he said.
It’s currently being tailed by a British Royal naval warship. Officials say, no one has been harmed and the vessel has enough supplies on board.
The EU naval force will continue monitor the vessel, which is “presently 500 miles off the Somali coast,” according to Harbour.
So far there’s been no information about pirates trying to contact the ship’s owners.
Relatives of the crew complain they're being left in the dark.
“I'm waiting for my father to come home. He went to sea safe and sound, and I want to see him back home safe and sound. I don't want for anything from the state – only action, not indifference. Until now nobody has called us to tell what has happepned, to ask if we need anything. Nobody! We're piecing together the information for ourselves from various sources,” Elena Gritchina, a kidnapped sailor's daughter said.