Greece confirms pirates hijacked Filitsa vessel

12.11.2009 Source: RIA Novosti

Greek Coast Guard affirmed on Wednesday that pirates hijacked Greek vessel Filitsa in Indian Ocean.

"The vessel under Marshall Islands' flag with 3 Greeks and 19 Filipinos on board was captured by pirates 400 miles northeast Seychelles", says Coast Guard's press release.

Command of EU naval operation Atalanta had previously reported about the vessel hijacking.

The ship was sailing to South African port Durban with cargo of fertilizers.

According to International Maritime Bureau, worldwide amount of pirate attacks on civil vessels in nine months of 2009 has exceeded same parameter of whole 2008. 306 pirate assaults were recorded since Jan till Sept 2009, comparing to 293 in 2008.