New Delhi: In yet another strike, Somali
pirates have seized an Indian vessel along with 14 people on
board off the coast of Oman.
"Somali pirates have hijacked an Indian dhow with 14 crew
near Salalah. The incident took place on January 9," a senior
official in the Directorate of Shipping told PTI today.
The dhow (a slow-moving vessel) was sailing off Oman,
about 800 nautical miles from the Somali coast when the
pirates attacked, taking hostage all 14 Indian crew members on
board, the official said.
Last year, the Somali pirates carried out several
strikes, capturing 11 dhows with over 100 Indians on board.
However, they later released majority of the vessels after
payment of ransom.
Repeated attacks on Indian vessels had prompted the
government to issue warning to dhows about the dangers in
those waters, particularly along the sea-lanes of Salalah and
Male.
The merchandise conducted on seas is worth about USD
110 billion annually, with Indians being among the major
players.
PTI
