Landing the Big One

Landing the Big One

Monday, September 19, 2005

Pirates still hold WFP ship

According to the BBC, those pesky Somali pirates who seized a World Food Program ship have moved the vessel but are still in possession:
Pirates who seized a UN-chartered ship with post-tsunami aid on 27 June have let it dock at a port near Somalia's capital, but are remaining aboard.
The MV Semlow arrived at Elmaan, north of Mogadishu, a spokeswoman for the UN's World Food Programme confirmed.

But it is unclear if Somalia's pirates have agreed to release the 10-strong crew and offload 850 tons of rice.

They had initially demanded $500,000 in ransom, before agreeing that Somalia's government would distribute the food.

The pirates had reportedly promised to leave the ship after the cargo was handed over to the Transitional Federal Government and under a condition that their allies would supervised the distribution of the food.


I gather the previous story concerning a full release was a tad premature.

UPDATE: 9/21/05- Pirates want immunity from local warlords in Somalia.

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