Somali piracy, a threat to UK gas, oil supplies: Commanders

London, Nov.21 (ANI): Senior British commanders and other sources in the Ministry of Defence have warned the David Cameron Government not to underestimate the threat posed by Somali pirates.

According to Sky News, they fear that the recent increase in attacks in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean could result in the UK's gas and oil supplies being disrupted, causing a rise in prices over the winter.

The Royal Navy and its supporters are also lobbying for the new Nimrod MRA4 marine reconnaissance aircraft project to be brought back to life.

The 3.5 billion pound plans were scrapped as part of the Strategic Security and Defence Review last month, soon after the aircraft began its first air trials.

A third of the UK's imports come through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden along with 15 percent of the UK's natural gas imports.

Senior officers and other experts have warned that if pirates intercepted two liquid natural gas transporters, the effect would be felt very rapidly in the UK where there is no storage capacity. (ANI)