12.11.2010
On Friday Ecoterra International confirmed the information that chemical tanker Hannibal II was captured by Somali pirates; there is one Russian sailor on board the tanker.
Totally, there are 31 crewmen on the ship – 23 Tunisians, 4 Filipinos, one Croat, one Georgian, one Russian, and one Moroccan, reported the Nairobi-headquartered organization.
Having deadweight of 24,000 tons, the tanker with cargo of vegetable oil was sailing from Malaysia to Suez when was attacked 860 miles eastward the Horn of Africa, i.e. closer to India than to Somalia. The shipowner is Tunisian company
Polo Navigation.
Therefore, pirates currently hold 30 vessels and over 500 sailors, reports
Ecoterra International. "Despite billions spent by world community for anti-piracy missions in the region, every third attack of sea robbers still turns out to be effective and results in hostage taking. Nonetheless, the piracy can be eliminated if those money would be spent on development of Somalia's coastline and creation of effective national coast guard", reported
ITAR-TASS referring to
Ecoterra International.
