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Somali pirates disembark hijacked tanker empty handed, are permitted to flee

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Four days after hijacking a Comoros-flagged oil tanker, Aris 13, with eight Sri Lankans on board, Somali pirates disembarked the vessel and fled empty-handed, leaving the ship and its crew intact to continue along to Bosaso Port, the region’s commercial hub.

Ahmed Mohamed, a security official from the semi autonomous state of Puntland within Somalia, made the announcement to the media on Thursday evening, after negotiations between the pirates on board, local elders, and authorities proved successful.  Only hours earlier, gunfire broke out between pirates on the Aris 13 and Puntland naval forces as they intervened to prevent a small boat with supplies from reaching the hijacked ship.  Four people were injured in the battle, though information regarding the extent of the injuries remains scarce.

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Comments

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  • Jim J

    There are lots of questions as to how many Somali "fishermen" really lost their gear (to include vessels). The pirates have learned to play the "I'm a poor fisherman, with no other way to feed my family" line for years. Frankly, I'm surprised this line came up again. On the other hand, old habits die hard.

  • Susan B

    Where are all the do-gooders that go after the illegal fishing and whale hunting in other waters? They should be off this coast taking pictures and getting in the way of the illegal fishermen. This is when the world needs these types of activists...when nations are starving and when coastlines are over-fished and dying. If nation's want to stop the piracy and help the nation itself, let them send some UN sanctioned patrol boats out to chase or impound the fishing boats. With the exceptions of Djibouti and Yemen, the other nations illegally fishing their waters are nations that have been guilty of impinging on the rights of other nations on numerous occasions...especially China. They have no excuse.

  • Peter M

    I figured it would end this way, as I wrote in your first article, certainly different from the Alabama hijack and totally different outcome. I feel for the Somalis but allowing piracy to go unpunished is inviting more of the same behavior. Where's the UN to stop the poachers fishing?................. hmmm crickets.

  • Leaders Recon

    It doesn't excuse criminal activity, but it is worth looking at some of the factors driving the behavior. Besides the illegal fishing, there is a kick ass drought hitting Somalia hard. As if the country didn't have enough problems to deal with...

  • Pat G

    I was surprised by the outcome of this situation. Of course there is sympathy for the Somalians who are already in dire straights and their fishing areas are being stolen too. But to just allow them to take off and not even face arrest and questioning sounds unwise. They committed a serious crime, one that can, and has in the past, ended in much blood shed. It seems that to release them unconditionally may encourage more piracy. Arrest, and the uncovering in the press of the scourge of illegal fishing driving the Somalians to take drastic actions, would probably be a better course of action. China, India, Iran and the other countries who are illegally fishing the Somalian waters and taking away their last source of food need to be called to task in some way, maybe even condemnation from the international community would help.