Somali Pirates: MV Faina Cargo offloaded

Reported here, the tanks and other military equipment on board the recently pirate-held vessel MV Faina has been unloaded from the ship and onto rail cars:

The MV Faina cargo have been fully loaded on rail wagons ready for onward transfer to the Kahawa Barracks in Nairobi.

Sources say the cargo is awaiting an official flag off to start the trip anytime later Tuesday or early Wednesday.

The consignment aboard the Ukrainian ship included anti-aircraft guns mounted on four-wheel carriages, rocket propelled grenades, an armoured truck and spare parts.

Military officials, led by Colonel George Kabugi, Deputy Commander of the Kenya Army Armoured Brigade, told journalists that they were happy to receive the cargo.

USNS Catawba Offers Up Water and Food to Ship Released by Somali Pirates

Rendering aid to fellow sailors, as reported here:

Sailors from the Norfolk-based destroyer, USS Mason (DDG 87), went aboard Faina to conduct a health and comfort inspection of the crew as well as provide Faina's crew with food, water and medical support. The U.S. Navy fleet ocean tug USNS Catawba (T-ATF 168) also provided fuel and fresh water to the merchant vessel.
Faina is currently anchored off the coast of Somalia, near Hobyo, and is making engineering preparations to get underway.

Somali pirates released the Motor Vessel Faina after holding it for more than four months. The U.S. Navy has remained within visual range of the ship and maintained a 24-hour, 7-days a week presence since it was captured.

Motor Vessel Faina was attacked off the coast of Somalia Sept. 25. The roll-on/roll-off ship is Belize flagged and operated by "Kaalbye Shipping Ukraine."

While the ship initially had had a crew of 21, the ship's captain reportedly suffered a heart-attack shortly after being taken hostage. The pirates refused all requests to turn over the captain's remains. The ship's remaining crew includes 17 Ukrainian citizens, as well as two Russians and one Latvian.

Photo caption:

The U.S. Navy fleet ocean tug USNS Catawba (T-ATF 168) provides fuel and fresh water to Motor Vessel Faina following its release by Somali pirates Feb. 5, after holding it for more than four months. The U.S. Navy has remained within visual range of the ship and maintained a 24-hour, 7-days a week presence since it was captured. The Belize-flagged cargo ship is owned and operated by "Kaalbye Shipping Ukraine" and is carrying a cargo of Ukrainian T-72 tanks and related equipment. The ship was attacked on Sept. 25 and forced to proceed to anchorage off the Somali Coast. U.S. 5th Fleet conducts maritime security operations to promote stability and regional economic prosperity. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael R. McCormick/Released)

UPDATE: Photo of ransom being dropped, arrows point to parachuted money:

Ransom money is dropped in the vicinity of the MV Faina off the coast of Somalia near Hobyo while under observation by a U.S. Navy ship. Pirates did not actually leave the ship until Feb. 5, more than 24 hours after this photo was taken. The Belize-flagged cargo ship is operated by Kaalbye Shipping Ukraine and is carrying a cargo of Ukranian T-72 tanks and related equipment. The ship was attacked Sept. 25, 2008 by pirates and forced to proceed to anchorage off the Somali Coast. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael R. McCormick/Released)

Somali Pirates: MV Faina "free"

The merchant ship full of tanks and ammo has been freed, according to this report:

Early on Thursday groups of pirates began leaving the vessel, reports from Haradhere said. Representatives of the pirates then told journalists that the ship had been freed.

"We have released MV Faina. There were only three boys remaining and they delayed the release for one hour, but now the ship is free," one of the pirate leaders, Sugule Ali, told AFP news agency by phone.

"No huge amount has been paid, but something to cover our expenses," he added

The crew - 17 Ukrainians, two Russians and a Latvian - were healthy and safe, a statement from the Ukrainian presidency said, and the ship would head to Mombasa under the protection of the US navy.

A number of warships from foreign navies had been diverted to the area to monitor the situation, in part to ensure that the cargo of weaponry did not get into the hands of Somali insurgents.

Once the ship is under way, the focus is likely to shift to its cargo of weapons and its final destination, reports the BBC's Peter Greste from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Yes, you can bet that attention will be paid to the cargo delivery.

Somali Pirates Get Big Ransom, Soon to Release Russian Ship with Ukranian Tanks

Reported here"

A ransom has been delivered to Somali pirates who seized a Ukrainian ship carrying tanks, heavy weapons and about 20 crew members, a spokesman for the ship's owners said Wednesday.

Mikhail Voitenko did not say how much was paid, but Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency put it at $3.2 million. The pirates originally demanded $20 million.

The MV Faina carrying a cargo of tanks, other weaponry and about 20 crew members was seized by bandits in September off the Somali coast. The hostages include 17 Ukrainians, two Russians and a Latvian.

"The ransom has been delivered to the Faina. The owners of the ship so far don't want to comment on this, but I'm getting information on this just about every half-hour," Voitenko said in comments on Russian TV. "A pile of pirates are counting the haul on the Faina. I hope that nothing will be disrupted and the sailors will soon be able to disembark."

Voitenko did not answer repeated phone calls seeking further comment.

A person involved in the negotiations told The Associated Press that a plane carrying the ransom left Kenya's capital, Nairobi, Wednesday afternoon and dropped it on the Faina. The man spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Normally Somali pirates take time to confirm their ransom, using money-counting machines and verifying the cash is genuine. Once they do that, they then release the vessel they are holding.

The person involved in the negotiations said the ship could be released Thursday. But the pirates holding the Faina have in the past given dates for releasing the vessel, only for those to pass without any word or explanation.

More here:

After having received a ransom of $3.2 million, Somali pirates will finally release within hours the Faina, a Ukrainian cargo ship captured off the coast of Kenya in September.

It is expected that the Faina will be heading for Kenyan port of Mombasa for unloading soon.

“There are about a hundred pirates onboard Faina now. They came to count money and to share it. As for the final release of the ship, we have to wait for several hours more, and after that Faina will proceed to Kenya’s Mombasa,” said Mikhail Voytenko, one of the negotiators.

Fake Out -Lying Somali Pirates: "Hostage crew tries to take back their ship" -Not

Reported here:

Crewmen on an arms-laden Ukrainian cargo ship hijacked 10 weeks ago tried to overpower their Somali captors, the pirates said Tuesday, as international efforts to stem piracy intensified.

"Some crew members on the Ukrainian ship are misbehaving. They tried to harm two of our gunmen late Monday," said a spokesman for the pirates aboard the MV Faina, held off the coast of Somalia since it was hijacked on September 25.

"This is unacceptable, they risk serious punitive measures. Somalis know how to live and how to die at the same time, but the Ukrainians' attempt to take violent action is misguided," said the spokesman, who declined to give his name.

Time for the message to the pirates: "All crewmen alive or all pirates dead!"

UPDATE: As Tom notes in the comments, it's a bogus tale:

"In reality, the following happened: Yesterday evening, two pirates who headed for the shore on a boat were seized and detained by the Americans. The pirates called intermediaries and the ship owner and asked them to speak to the Americans to ask for the release of their seized accomplices, but were told it is impossible," Mikhail Voitenko from Sovfracht Maritime Bulletin said.

"So the pirates launched the canard about a mutiny. Something like a threat," Voitenko told Ukraine's Unian news agency, citing the Faina's owner.

Gosh, if you can't trust pirates, who can you trust?

Headline updated

Somalia: Pirates threaten to blow up ship loaded with tanks

I suppose it might be a sign that negotiations are not going as they would like, but ... pirates threaten to blow up hijacked ship off Somalia:

The pirates who hijacked an arms-laden Ukrainian tanker off the coast of Somalia threatened Friday to destroy the ship if no ransom is paid, a spokesman for the bandits said.

The MV Faina is surrounded by U.S. warships, and a Russian frigate is heading toward the scene, raising the stakes for a possible commando-style raid on the ship.

"We held a consultative meeting for more than three hours today and decided to blow up the ship and its cargo — us included — if the ship owners did not meet our ransom demand," Sugule Ali told The Associated Press when a reporter called the ship via satellite telephone.

"After three days, starting from tomorrow, the news of the ship will be closed. We know what to do next," he said.

The pirates had said Thursday they were willing to negotiate their ransom demand of $20 million, after nearly two weeks of insisting they would never lower the price.
***
Ukrainian Defense Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov has said that Ukraine does not want foreign countries to use power to take the ship. Most of the 20 remaining crew member aboard the Faina are Ukrainian.

"We are against a forceful scenario, we believe there need to be negotiations," he said. "What is most important is people."

Somali Pirates: Ransom in "tank Ship" capture?

Are the Somali pirates going to collect a ransom for capturing a ship full of tanks?

Right under the watchful eyes of the U.S. Navy?

Maybe - see here:

An onshore associate of Somali pirates holding a Ukrainian ship with tanks and other weaponry on board said yesterday that an $8-million (R70-million) ransom deal was in the offing that could enable the vessel to be freed within days.

"A boat will carry the money from Djibouti, and the pirates are expected to release the ship in the coming two nights," said a business partner of the pirates, who identified himself only as Farah.

In the highest profile of scores of pirate attacks off Somalia this year, the Faina has been held since the end of September with 20 crew members on board. Its cargo includes 33 T-72 tanks, which were en route to Mombasa.
***
Lieutenant Nathan Christensen, spokesperson for the US fifth fleet whose ships are monitoring Faina, could not confirm the state of ransom talks but said he hoped that the saga would end soon."Negotiations are between the pirates and the shipping company, we're not engaged," he said. "We are definitely concerned that the cargo may fall into the wrong hands - terrorists, violent extremists and the pirates themselves."

Photo captions: Upper-

Pirates transiting from MV Faina to shore while under observation by a U.S. Navy ship. The Belize-flagged cargo ship is owned and operated by "Kaalbye Shipping Ukraine" and is carrying a cargo of Ukrainian T-72 tanks and related equipment. The ship was attacked on Sept. 25 and forced to proceed to anchorage off the Somali Coast. U.S. 5th Fleet conducts maritime security operations to promote stability and regional economic prosperity. U.S. Navy photo by Mass communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky

Lower-

The ship’s crew aboard MV Faina stands on the deck following a U.S. Navy request to check on their health and welfare. The Belize-flagged cargo ship is owned and operated by "Kaalybe Shipping Ukraine" and is carrying a cargo of Ukrainian T-72 tanks and related equipment. The ship was attacked on Sept. 25 and forced to proceed to anchorage off the Somali Coast. U.S. 5th Fleet conducts maritime security operations to promote stability and regional economic prosperity. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky)

NATO Somali Piracy Map (to 6 Oct 08)

From here. Click to enlarge.

Somalia: Insurgents want weapons from captured ship

Reported here:

Mogadishu- Islamist insurgents had demanded to be given some of the weapons aboard a hijacked Ukrainian ship carrying 33 tanks - but the pirates holding it had refused, a local official said yesterday. The Islamist gunmen from the Al Shabaab group had also received a 5% cut of the $1.5 million (R12.8 million) paid out for a Spanish ship released several months ago, a resident said. About two weeks ago, heavily armed pirates captured the MV Faina near Hobyo town in central Somalia, and are now demanding a $20 million (R170 million) ransom. Several United States navy ships are watching it to ensure that none of the weapons are unloaded. "Al Shabaab wanted some weapons from the Ukrainian ship, but the pirates rejected their demands," a local official who asked not to be named said. "Al Shabaab went away after they were rejected by the residents and the pirates. "I am sure the group is not far from the area," the official added. A relative of the pirates said the insurgents had received a 5% share of the last ransom paid, but had been demanding more. "Al Shabaab demanded more money from pirates and they disagreed," said Hussein Ali.

Somali Pirates: "No force" (Maybe) Says Russia in Ukraine tank ship matter

Russia's soon-to-arrive naval presence off Somlia - a single frigate- is arriving with a limitation - Russia will not use force in pirates saga:

Russia has no intention of using force against the pirates who have hijacked a Ukrainian ship loaded with arms claimed by Kenya, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.

“The questions of freeing the ships and crew are being dealt with in line with the corresponding international practices,” Interfax quoted Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo as saying, according to CNN.Com.

“For understandable reasons, the use of force would be an extreme measure because it could threaten the life of the international crew of the ship.”

Containment.

Somalia Piracy Status

Let me thank the NATO Shipping Center for their PowerPoint slide, which I have "borrowed" and partially updated. For a change, a PPT slide I like.

Click on the slide to enlarge.

Somali pirates holding "tank" ship squabble- 3 die

As the pressure on them mounts, the Somali pirates holding the Ukrainian ship full of tanks are having fights over what to do and one of these squabbles cost three of them their lives, as set out here:

Andrew Mwangura, of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme, a local maritime group, said an argument broke out last night between factions in the 50-strong pirate gang over whether to give in to international pressure to free the cargo and 20-man crew.

"There was a misunderstanding yesterday between the moderates and the radicals on board who do not want to listen to anyone," said Mwangura, whose Kenya-based group is monitoring the saga via relatives of the crew and the pirates.

"The moderates want to back-peddle. The Americans are close, so everyone is tense. There was a shootout and three of the pirates were shot dead."

The U.S. has several ships nearby.

UPDATE: Another Malaysian ship has been released by other pirates after a ransom was paid, as set out here:

Pirates have released a second Malaysian tanker hijacked near Somalia in exchange for a ransom, the ship owner said Tuesday.

Malaysian shipping line MISC Berhad said the palm oil tanker, MT Bunga Melati 2, was freed Monday, two days after its first vessel was released.

Chairman Hassan Marican said a ransom was paid for both vessels but declined to reveal the amount. All 79 crew, including 14 Filipinos, on both ships are safe but are traumatized and will undergo counseling, he said.

Malaysian navy warships are escorting the two tankers, which are expected to reach neighboring Djibouti in the next few days, he said.

Hassan slammed Malaysia's local media for speculating that a total ransom of US$4 million was paid.

"You have made MISC a target for the pirates in the future by disclosing an amount that is incorrect," he told reporters. "Going forward, we will take necessary steps to protect our vessels and our crew."

UPDATE2: Another report downplaying shooting and reporting pirates are enjoying a Muslim feast: here:

The standoff in the Indian Ocean over a ship laden with tanks and weapons entered a sixth day Tuesday, with pirates claiming they were celebrating the Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr despite being surrounded by American warships and helicopters.
A photo from the USS Howard shows Somali pirates in small boats hijacking the MV Faina last week.
***
"We are happy on the ship and we are celebrating Eid," pirate spokesman Sugule Ali told The Associated Press by satellite phone. "Nothing has changed."

UPDATE3: An interview with a pirate, asserting some form of innocence in their actions here.

Monday Reading

Fred Fry's' Maritime Monday 129 at gCaptain.com. Fred has photos of APL line ships and a whole lot of quality maritime links. He even links to a National Geographic contest in which you (yes, you!) could get involved a sea cruise with the Indian Navy.

Bubblehead notes the passing of a submarine force legend.

Consul at Arms links about an anti-current Iranian regime group that you may not want to get behind.

The Coasties announce a contract for a new Fast Response Cutter here. More info on the "Sentinel" class here.

UPDATE: More photos of pirated ships:


Caption: HOYBYO, Somalia (Sept. 29, 2008) Pirates holding MV Faina receives supplies while under observation by the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72). The Belize-flagged cargo ship is owned and operated by "Kaalybe Shipping Ukraine" and is carrying a cargo of Ukrainian T-72 tanks and related equipment. The ship was attacked on Sept. 28 and forced to proceed to an anchorage off the Somali Coast. Vella Gulf is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet conduct maritime security operations to promote stability and regional economic prosperity. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Zalasky/Released)



HOYBYO, Somalia (Sept. 29, 2008) The pirated vessel MV Centauri as observed by the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72). MV Centauri is anchored in the vicinity of MV Faina, off the coast of Hoybyo, Somalia. Several U.S. Navy ships are in the area monitoring the situation. U.S. 5th Fleet conduct Maritime Security Operations (MSO) to promote stability and regional economic prosperity. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Zalasky/Released)

Somalia: Navy ships continue to monitor ships full of tanks

As reported here:

The U.S. Navy bolstered its force of warships off Somalia on Monday, intensifying its watch over Somali pirates holding a hijacked Ukrainian-operated vessel with crew members, arms and tanks aboard.

Lt. Nathan Christensen, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy 5th Fleet, said "there are now several U.S. ships" within eyesight of the hijacked ship, Faina, which was bound for Kenya when it was seized last week.

Speaking by telephone from Bahrain, Christensen declined to say how exactly many other U.S. warships had joined the USS Howard, a guided-missile destroyer, off Somalia. The U.S. ships were staying in international waters off Somalia, Christensen said, while the Somali pirates kept the Faina within the 12-mile territorial bounds of Somali waters.

U.S. sailors remained close enough to see the ship, and had established bridge-to-bridge contact via radio, he said.

A report that the "watch" includes a helicopter gun ship here. Report that a helicopter is being used to stop resupply by the pirates from shore here:

Andrew Mwangura, of the Kenyan-based Seafarers' Programme, said the Faina was sitting a few miles off the Somali coastal village of Hinbarwaqo on Monday, closely monitored by the USS Howard which had come close enough for visual contact.

"They cannot attack because we think there are dangerous chemicals on board too," he said.

A helicopter, probably U.S., had been buzzing over the Faina to prevent people on shore reinforcing the vessel.

"Ten small boats were headed to the ship yesterday. But they went back when the chopper buzzed them," Mwangura said.

"With the helicopter and the Howard watching them, the tactic is clearly to scare the pirates."

Kenya also rejects the idea that the tanks were meant for southern Sudan:

Kenya reacted angrily to suggestions, by the Seafarers' Programme and some anonymous military sources, that the Faina's military cargo was headed secretly for south Sudan.

"There have been alarming propaganda by the pirates to media that the weapons are not for the Kenyan Military. This is a tactic by the terrorists to try and fend off reprisals against them," government spokesman Alfred Mutua said.

"The Kenyan Government will not engage in answering back to terrorists who have hijacked important military equipment paid for by the Kenyan tax payer for use by the Kenyan Military."

UPDATE: It is unclear about the timing, but a U.S. Navy spokesman says differently:

A U.S. Navy spokesman says a weapons shipment on a Ukrainian ship hijacked by Somali pirates was headed to Sudan, not Kenya.

Lt. Nathan Christensen, a deputy spokesman for the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain, says the buyers in Sudan are unknown.

A 5th Fleet statement Monday says the ship was headed for the Kenyan port of Mombassa, but that "additional reports state the cargo was intended for Sudan."

Kenya has claimed it was the buyer for the shipment, which includes T-72 battle tanks.

The U.N. has imposed an arms embargo on weapons headed to Sudan's Darfur conflict zone. But the ban does not cover other weapons sales to the Khartoum government or the southern Sudan's autonomous government.

UPDATE2: UN Resolution re arms to Dafur explained here. You can download your very own copies of UN Resolutions 1591 and 1556 here.

UDPATE3: Was the hijacking of this ship an "inside job?" That question posed here:

A MYSTERY grew today as to whether pirates who hijacked a Ukrainian ro-ro last week might have had prior knowledge about the ship's route and cargo of battle tanks – and help in seizing the vessel.

MV Faina, which is carrying a cargo of 33 Ukrainian T-72 tanks and related equipment, was sailing much closer to the Somali shore than security rules dictate when it was boarded by pirates aboard small boats on Friday.

Suspicions also mounted because no convoy or armed guards were protecting the Kenyan-bound vessel.

Makes you go "hmmmmm."

To view earlier posts on this situation, click the "label" MV Faina below.

Somali Pirates: Under the Eyes of the U.S. Navy

NavCent press release here :

MANAMA, Bahrain - The U.S. 5th Fleet continues to actively monitor the situation with Motor Vessel Faina, the Belize-flagged cargo ship, which was captured Sept. 25.

San Diego-based destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83) is on station and is in visual range of MV Faina, which is anchored off the Somalia coast near the harbor city of Hobyo.

"Howard is on-station," said Cmdr. Curtis Goodnight, Howard Commanding Officer. "My crew is actively monitoring the situation, keeping constant watch on the vessel and the waters in the immediate vicinity."

Two other pirated vessels, MV Capt Stefanos and MV Centauri, are also anchored at this location.

This incident highlights the complexity of the situation in the region. MV Faina is owned and operated by "Kaalybe Shipping Ukraine," and is carrying a cargo of T-72 tanks and related equipment. Its crew is comprised of citizens from Ukraine, Russia and Latvia. There is no indication that the ship had a security team aboard.

Howard is part of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, which is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to conduct Maritime Security Operations (MSO).

MSO help develop security in the maritime environment. From security arises stability that results in global economic prosperity. MSO complements the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations and seek to disrupt violent extremists' use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.

U.S. Navy photos showing pirate boats around Fainna and pirates on board the captured ship. Click on the photos to enlarge.

UPDATE: Pirates reduce ransom demand and one crewman has died as set out here:

As a heavily armed U.S. freighter patrolled nearby and planes flew overhead, a Somali pirate spokesman told The Associated Press his group was demanding a $20 million ransom to release a cargo ship loaded with Russian tanks.

The spokesman also warned that the pirates would fight to the death if any country tried military action to regain the ship, and a man who said he was the ship's captain reported that one crew member had died.
***
In a rare gesture of cooperation, the Americans appeared to be keeping an eye on the Faina until the Russian missile frigate Neustrashimy, or Intrepid, reaches the area. The Russian ship was still somewhere in the Atlantic on Sunday, the Russian navy reported.

Pirate spokesman Sugule Ali said he was speaking Sunday from the deck of the Faina via a satellite phone — and verified his location by handing the phone over to the ship's captain, who also spoke with the AP. It was not possible to further confirm their identities.

"We want ransom, nothing else. We need $20 million for the safe release of the ship and the crew," Ali said, adding that "if we are attacked, we will defend ourselves until the last one of us dies."

I have my doubts about the part about waiting for the Russian ship unless that's at the request of the government of the Ukraine, which is, after all, an independent nation, not part of Russia.

UPDATE: Arrows on map show locations where pirates are taking captured ships - Eyl is pointed to by the upper arrow, Hobyo by the lower.



UPDATE2: Some controversy over exactly where those tanks were headed:

The fate of the crew and cargo intercepted by pirates off Somalia remained in doubt last night even as fresh controversy emerged over the destination of the military hardware.

Military and diplomatic sources claimed the hardware was destined for Southern Sudan.

Sudan faces United Nations’ arms embargo, which Kenya is a signatory, and also guarantor to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended war between the South and the North after 25 years.

The claims were rebuffed by Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua who termed the assertion as "misleading and aimed at diverting the attention from Kenya to another country".

"There has been propaganda by the pirates that the weapons are not for the Kenyan military," read the statement posted online.

Mutua said efforts to secure the ship hijacked two days ago were going on. He maintained that the Government was not in contact with the pirates.

"The Government advises media to be cautious about being used by terrorists," he said.

UPDATE3: Pirates offloading portable weapons? See here:

Islamist extremists prepared last night to unload rocket-propelled grenades and anti-aircraft guns from a Ukrainian freighter seized by Somali pirates even as foreign warships surrounded the vessel.
***
“The Islamists have sent pick-ups from Mogadishu to go and collect the gear,” said an analyst with a network of Somali informers. “There's not much they can do with the tanks — they can't get them off — but the rest of the weapons they are trying to move ashore.”

Somalia's insurgents have made a series of impressive gains in recent weeks. They now control the port city of Kismayo and have armed and equipped pirate gangs as part of a campaign to control the seas.

Kenya's Government said that it was awaiting the weaponry aboard the ship, but similar shipments in the past have been sent on to southern Sudan.

Witnesses on the Somali coast said that the navy ships were using loudspeakers warning the pirates not to attempt to unload the cargo. A tribal chief and local fishermen about 250 miles north of Mogadishu said that they had seen the MV Faina near at least two ships.

“The pirates are now surrounded near the village of Hinbarwaqo by Western ships. They asked individuals in charge of the hijacking of the Ukrainian ship to come aboard the navy ship for talks,” said a local clan elder.

More here:

Controversy is looming over seized Ukrainian vessel carrying military equipment with fresh reports indicating that the arsenal was destined for south Sudan and not the Kenyan military.

Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Program said on Sunday the Somali pirates claim to be in possession of confidential documents showing that the arms were actually destined for southern Sudan and not Kenya.

Mwangura said that the hijacked ship-MV Faina was ferrying the fourth such consignment from Ukrainian to southern Sudan.

"One of the cargo arrived at the port of Mombasa in October last year, two in February this year. The seized load of 33 Russian-built T-72 tanks and some ammunition was the fourth cargo with military equipment for southern Sudan," Mwangura told Xinhua by telephone on Sunday.

It should be noted that the Chinese government strongly leans in favor of the government of Sudan to which it sells arms (see here). There is a lot going on here in the international politics arena.

UPDATE4: You might find this on "flags of convenience" interesting. The Faina is Ukrainian owned, Belize registered.

Earlier posts here and here and by hitting "label" MV Faina.

UPDATE5: A report that the pirates now demand only $5 million here. I suggest holding out until the pirates are willing to pay $2 million...

Somalia: $35 million demand for ship full of tanks?

An alleged ransom demand for the Kenya bound Ukrainian ship reported here:

A man claiming to speak for pirates holding a Ukrainian ship laden with tanks said Saturday that they want US$35 million for its release. It was not immediately possible to confirm the claim by Ali Yare Abdulkadir, or his status.

Speaking by telephone with The Associated Press, he said the pirates want to negotiate with the Kenyan government, and he warned against any military action to release the ship.

He would not reveal his whereabouts. The tanks aboard the ship, which was hijacked Thursday, were ordered by Kenya. Kenyan Defense Department spokesman Bogita Ongeri said on Saturday that Kenyan authorities have had no contact with the pirates who seized the vessel and its cargo, and have not received any demands for ransom.

Ongeri said that the Ukrainian vessel was seized in international waters in the Gulf of Aden. He said that the pirates hijacked the ship beyond 200 nautical miles (230 miles, 370 kilometers), away from the coast of the northeastern Somali region of Puntland. Two hundred nautical miles in maritime law mark the end of a country's territorial waters.

Ukraine's defense chief said Friday that the Faina was carrying 33 Russian-built T-72 tanks and a substantial quantity of ammunition and spare parts. Russia's navy said it dispatched a warship to the area, and the United States said U.S naval ships were monitoring the situation.

Another report on this ship contained in this:

A man who spoke to the Associated Press in Somalia by telephone and claimed to be a spokesman for the pirates said they were seeking a ransom.

"We want the Kenyan government to negotiate with us about a $35 million ransom we want for the release of the ship and the cargo without any other intervention," said the man, who identified himself as Ali Yare Abdulkadir. "If not, we will do what we can and off load the small arms and take them away."

Abdulkadir, who local residents in the northeastern Somali region of Puntland said represented the pirates, declined to reveal his whereabouts. He said the ship is somewhere along Somalia's northeastern coast and warned against any military action to liberate it.

"Any one who tries it will be responsible for the consequences," Abdulkadir said.

A Russian Web site posted on Saturday what it said was an audio recording of a telephone conversation the Ukrainian ship's first mate. He said the hijackers are seeking a ransom and have anchored close to the Somali shore.

There was no way to immediately confirm the authenticity of the report on Web site Life.ru. Calls to the phone number listed on the site went to an answering machine at the publisher of two established tabloids that have reportedly reliably on news in the past — one of them also called Life.

On the recording, a man who identified himself as first mate Vladimir Nikolsky said the hijackers were asking for a ransom but he did not know how much. Life.ru showed images of what it said were the Russian passports for both Nikolsky and the ship's captain, Vladimir Kolobkov.

Nikolsky said the Faina was anchored near the Somali town of Hobyo and that two other apparently hijacked ships were nearby. Most of the 35 people on the ship — 21 of them crew — were being kept in a single room, he added.

Ukrainian officials had said there were 21 people aboard — 17 Ukrainians, three Russians and a Latvian.

Nobody aboard the Faina was injured, but the captain was suffering from heatstroke and his condition was "not so good," the man identified as Nikolsky said. It was unclear exactly when the purported conversation took place.

UPDATE: A U.S. Navy destroyer seems to be keeping an eye on the Faina, as set out here:

A U.S. defense official said the destroyer USS Howard is pursuing the hijacked Ukrainian vessel and is now within a few thousand yards of it. The hijacked ship is anchored a few miles off the Somalia coast, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the situation.

The destroyer is watching to make sure the pirates do not try to remove anything, the official added.

Howard website. Post on Russian frigate enroute here. It won't be in the area for a couple of days...

UPDATE2: In the meantime, a Japanese ships has been released after a $2 million dollar ransom payment, according to this.

UPDATE3: And an Egytian ship also has been released.

UPDATE4: The Kenyans, for whom the tanks were intended, have apparently dispatched their navy toward the captured Ro-Ro as set out here:

All branches of the Kenyan Armed Forces were on full alert on Sunday night and heading for a showdown with the pirates who seized a cargo ship carrying battle tanks for the army.

The Navy put to sea and was racing to take up position in a joint operation to recover the hijacked Ukrainian cargo vessel, which was also carrying arms and ammunition.

“All branches of the military are working with partners to solve the problem,” said a senior government official, who did not wish to be quoted discussing an ongoing, security operation.

The official would not say which units were involved and what actions they were taking.

The Forces were ordered into action even as a heavily armed Russian warship entered Somalia waters and was preparing to rescue the crew of 17 Ukrainians, three Russians and a Latvian aboard the hijacked ship, the MV Faina.

A United States warship was also in the area and said by Pentagon officials to be tracking both the Faina and the Russian missile frigate, the Neustrashimy.

UPDATE5: Yet more reportage here:

Warning France and the United States, which have warships in the area the Faina was seized - in the Gulf of Aden as it opens into the Indian Ocean - the pirate spokesman said: "Anything that happens is their responsibility."

He said the ship's crew initially fought against the pirate assault, but the attackers, estimated to have been about 100-strong, eventually succeeded in using "tactical manoeuvres" to overpower the crew.

An aide to the Faina's captain told a Moscow news service in a satellite call from the ship's bridge that the vessel is anchored offshore, as the pirates await answers to their ransom demand, and that none of the crew had been injured in the attack or subsequently harmed.

"Tactical manoeuvers" - heh.

UPDATE5: Pirates have released a Malaysian ship for a $2 million dollar ransom.

Somalia: Pirates grab a Ukrainian ship

Reported here:

Pirates on Thursday seized a Ukrainian cargo ship off the coast of Somalia while it was en route to the Kenyan port of Mombasa, a maritime official told AFP.

The hijackers commandeered the Belize-flagged Faina to a yet unknown location, said Andrew Mwngura who runs the Kenya chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Programme.

"It was sailing from the Baltics and was expected in Mombasa on September 27," he added. "As usual, the pirates were armed on a speedboat when they seized the ship, but we do not know where they have taken it."

UPDATE: Ship photo from Shipspotting.com copyright Fehmi Ulgener. Larger view at that Shipspotting link. You might note that the ship is a Roll on- roll off (Ro-Ro) which mignt be of interest since it, as noted in the comments and here, that ship may be carrying 30 T-72 tanks...