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A Japanese chemical tanker has reportedly been hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia. Japan¡¯s Kyodo News Agency on Monday quoted the International Maritime Bureau¡¯s Piracy Report Center as saying pirates attacked and kidnapped the tanker near the Aden Bay.
The vessel was manned by 23 sailors including two Koreans, a Filipino and a Burmese. No Japanese nationals were aboard, Kyodo said. Andrew Mwangura, a program coordinator of the Seafarers Assistance Program, said the Golden Mori was hijacked by Somali pirates 13 km from the Socotra Archipelago in the Indian Ocean on Sunday, according to China¡¯s Xinhua News Agency. Belonging to Yemen, the Socotra Archipelago is located southeast off the coast of Yemen and east off the coast of Somalia. According to the IMB, two attempts to hijack ships were made near the scene this month.
A Korean Foreign Ministry official confirmed that Korean sailors were on board the tanker. The vessel sent out an SOS, but it is not clear whether it sent the signal because of a hijacking or another reason, the official added.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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