Somali pirates take Spanish crew ashore

MOGADISHU, Thursday

Somali pirates said today they had taken three hostages from a Spanish fishing vessel ashore and may hand them to the families of two suspected pirates being held by Spain.

The Spanish navy captured two Somalis in the Indian Ocean shortly after pirates overran the tuna boat Alakrana on October 2 and took its 36 crew hostage. The two suspects are set to face trial in Spain on charges of terrorism and robbery.

Somali pirates have said previously they will not negotiate a ransom for the release of the ship until their two colleagues have been freed by the Spanish authorities.

“Our friends have taken three Spanish males from the Spanish ship to land,” pirate Hassan told Reuters by phone from the pirate haven of Haradheere. “They are still in our hands and they have already been taken out of Haradheere by car. I will not tell you where we are taking them, but we may hand them over to the families of our two friends held by Spain -- in revenge,” he said.

Pirates have plagued the busy shipping lanes off the coast of Somalia for years. Foreign warships from 16 nations are patrolling the area to try and prevent hijacks, but the sea gangs are now hunting for ships far into the Indian Ocean.
Bulk carrier

Meanwhile, a bulk carrier called the MV Delvina was hijacked in the Indian Ocean today, the EU naval force and a local maritime official said.

The EU anti-piracy naval force said on its Web site that the ship, with a deadweight of 53,629 tonnnes, had 21 crew on board from the Ukraine and the Philippines.

Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based East Africa Seafarers’ Association said the vessel was seized some 250 nautical miles northwest of Madagascar and was laden with wheat. (Reuters)