Somali pirates hijack ship with 23 crew, including 10 Indians

Nairobi (Kenya), Feb 13 (AP) Somali pirates hijacked aship with 23 crew, including 10 Indians and a Danish warshipfreed a hijacked Yemeni fishing vessel that had been held fornearly a year, maritime authorities said today.

The Maltese-flagged bulk carrier MV Sinin had 13Iranians and 10 Indians onboard when it came under attackSaturday, the European Union Naval Force said.

The ship subsequently lost communications and amaritime patrol aircraft photographed two skiffs onboard thevessel. The MV Sinin was taken about 560 kilometers east ofMasirah in Oman.

In a separate incident, a Danish warship freed ahijacked fishing vessel and arrested 16 suspected Somalipirates, NATO said.

The HDMS Esbern Snare stopped a suspicious vessel withtwo skiffs on deck. The warship fired warning shots and sent aboarding party to the hijacked Yemeni vessel.

NATO said there were 16 suspected pirates and two Yemenihostages onboard.

The original fishing crew of nine people had been heldfor a year but most of them had been released.

Sometimes owners of small vessels without insurance are unableto raise the ransoms demanded by the pirates. Somalia has nothad a functioning government in two decades, and piracy hasflourished off its coast. (AP)