Hong Kong ship hijacked with 18 Indians on-board

Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Sep 17: 18 Indians are among the 22 crew members on a Hong Kong chemical tanker ship which was hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia.

Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau says the ship, Mt Stolt Valor was seized on Monday, Sep 15 making it the 12th vessel to be hijacked in the pirate-infested waterway since July 20. He says the Hong Kong tanker, en route to Asia, was sailing in a maritime security corridor in the gulf patrolled by an international coalition of warships and aircraft when it was attacked. Choong says all ships are urged to maintain a strict watch, even in the security corridor.

"The incident took place at 1016 GMT Monday, Sep 15. There were 18 Indians, two Filipinos, a Bangladeshi and a Russian national on board the vessel when it was hijacked. The ship was on its way to Mumbai," Andrew Mwangura, East Africa Coordinator of Seafarers Assistance Program (SAP) said.

OneIndia News