ACCORDING to reports just coming in Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden area have hijacked three vessels so far this week. Initial reports speak of an “Indonesian tug”, a Turkish-owned, Antigua and Barbuda-flag container ship and small private yacht.
The US Navy has confirmed the hijacking of the the 1985-built, 3,062 gt dry cargo ship Bosphorus Prodigy. Total has confirmed that a tug and unladen barge chartered by the French oil company, bound from Yemen to Malaysia has been seized. Various nationalities are understood to be on board.
Meanwhile the United Nations Security Council has unanimously approved a US resolution allowing countries to pursue Somali pirates on land as well as at sea. This extends the provisions of an earlier one allowing pursuit into territorial waters.