Somali pirates captured Norwegian tanker with 21 crewmen

09.03.2010 Source: RIA Novosti, photo: Somali pirate (obozrevatel.com)

Pirates hijacked tanker in territorial waters of Madagascar and are heading for Somali coast; the ship is registered in Marshall Islands, informed Friday Reuters referring to Norwegian shipowner.

According to Svenn Pedersen, the head of Brovigtank which is owner of the ship, tanker UBT Ocean sailed from UAE to Tanzania carrying oil. Communication with the vessel was cut off in Friday morning, about 8.30 am Moscow time.

The ship is quite small; displacement is about 9,000 tons and length is somewhat 120 meters.

Somalia can't find the answer to the problem of piracy since this country ceased to exist as united state in 1991 with falling of Siad Barre dictatorship governed the country since late '60s. Currently, international community recognizes Federal Government of Somalia as the only lawful authority in the country; however, the named government controls only a part of capital city, Mogadishu. The rest parts of Somalia are either under control of unrecognized state formations or self-governed territories which leaders have different and sometimes even contrary views on integration under reign of Mogadishu.

According to International Maritime Bureau, in 2009 Somali pirates carried out 217 attacks and captured 47 vessels.