Three Kenyans are still missing after their merchant ship was reportedly hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia, Kenya’s Daily Nation reported Monday (July 14th).
Secretary General of the Seafarers Union of Kenya Andrew Mwangura said he was worried about the fate of the hostages after they received conflicting reports about their safety.
“We were told they were on their way home but this doesn’t sound true. Rarely do crew [members] abandon their ship and cargo,” he said, adding that the pirates will not release the hostages without ransom.
The ship, which was transporting timber, left Mozambique and sailed to Mogadishu, and was expected to arrive in Mombasa on July 9th, but it developed mechanical problems while at sea, Kenya’s The Standard reported.
The ship then drifted to a landing site south of Mogadishu on July 10th for repairs. It was then attacked by armed men suspected to be pirates or al-Shabaab.
Via: http://allafrica.com
NMS Note:
We understand from sources that this ship was not actually attacked or hijacked by pirates, but we await official confirmation.
