MV Samho Dream
Posted on 04/05/2010 6:16:47 AM PDT by myknowledge
A South Korean warship is rushing to the area where Somali pirates hijacked a South Korean oil tanker with 24 crew members aboard, the military says.
The 300,000-tonne Samho Dream was seized on Sunday on its way from Iraq to the US state of Louisiana with a crew of five South Koreans and 19 Filipinos.
A South Korean destroyer, which was in the Gulf of Aden on anti-piracy operations, has been ordered to move to waters off Somalia, a Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman told AFP.
"The destroyer is sailing in a hurry to catch up with the hijacked ship," he said on Monday.
But the spokesman declined to say whether the 4,500-ton destroyer with about 300 soldiers on board has been ordered to intercept the hijacked ship.
Somali pirates have given no word yet but the South Korean government will not engage in any negotiations with them, the foreign ministry said.
Instead the ship's owner, Samho Shipping, based in the southern port city of Busan, will be in charge of any negotiations, it said.
The company said the tanker's captain had remained out of contact.
Somali pirates, targeting one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes, raked in an estimated 60 million dollars in ransoms last year.
A South Korean tuna ship with 25 crew was hijacked by Somali pirates in April 2006. The ship and its crew were released after four months when a ransom was paid.
In 2007 Somali pirates seized two South Korean vessels and 24 crew. The crew were released after six months in captivity.
Pirates also hijacked a South Korean cargo ship with 22 sailors in September 2008. The crew were released after the ship's owner paid a ransom.
MV Samho Dream
They should not negotiate. Just kill the baddies.
If the Somalis are shot out of the water on their approach I cheer the ship. If they aren’t I have no sympathy. This is a joke.
No idea.
This is Obama's fault. Period.
“say you’re sorry and promise not to do it again” is not a good plan. Doesn’t work with 4 year olds and won’t work with pirates.
I say pay the ransom.... not in silver .... nor gold.... but in LEAD! Preferably 127 mm size “ingots.”
South Korea has not been exactly VICTORY AT SEA lately
Boy did they pick the wrong nation this time. South Korea is about the last country around who will negotiate with you when threatened. I suspect if the War Ship catches the Pirates will discover this..
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