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Pirate washed up with US$153,000
Source: Agencies |
January 13, 2009, Tuesday
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THE body of a Somali pirate who drowned just after receiving a huge ransom washed onshore with US$153,000 in cash yesterday.
Five pirates drowned on Friday when their small boat capsized after they received a reported US$3 million ransom for releasing a Saudi oil tanker.
Resident Omar Abdi Hassan said one of the bodies had been found on a beach near the coastal town of Haradhere and relatives were searching for the other four.
"One of them was discovered and they are still looking for the other ones. He had US$153,000 in a plastic bag in his pocket," he said.
The US Navy released photos of a parachute dropping a package on to the deck of the Sirius Star, and said the package was likely to be the ransom delivery.
But five of the dozens of pirates who had hijacked the tanker drowned when their small boat capsized as they returned to shore in rough weather. Three other pirates survived but also lost their share of the ransom.
Graeme Brooks, managing director of the British company Dryad Maritime Intelligence Service Ltd, said the incident was unlikely to deter attacks.
"The loss or potential loss of the ransom means the pirates will be all the more keen to get the next ransom in," he said. "There are people lining up to be pirates."
The Sirius Star had been held near the Ukrainian cargo ship MV Faina, which was loaded with 33 Soviet-designed battle tanks and crates of small arms. The same day the Sirius Star was released, the family members of the Faina crew appealed for help, saying they were not being kept informed about the negotiations or the state of their loved ones' health.
But a pirate spokesman said the 20 crew members on the MV Faina were doing well.
"The cargo is still there unharmed and the crew is healthy," Sugule Ali said. "Once the negotiations end in mutual understanding, the ship, its crew and the cargo as well will be released."
There have been several false alarms about the release of the MV Faina since it was seized last September. Ali said the pirates were still negotiating with the ship's owners.
"Nothing has changed from our previous demand of US$20 million ransom for the release of the ship, but as negotiations continue we are likely to reduce the amount," he said. American warships have been closely monitoring the Faina amid fears that some of the weapons onboard could be taken onshore and fall into the hands of Islamic insurgents.
The shaky Somali government is battling insurgents the United States says are linked to al-Qaida. But the situation is complicated by rivalries within the Islamist movement.
Five pirates drowned on Friday when their small boat capsized after they received a reported US$3 million ransom for releasing a Saudi oil tanker.
Resident Omar Abdi Hassan said one of the bodies had been found on a beach near the coastal town of Haradhere and relatives were searching for the other four.
"One of them was discovered and they are still looking for the other ones. He had US$153,000 in a plastic bag in his pocket," he said.
The US Navy released photos of a parachute dropping a package on to the deck of the Sirius Star, and said the package was likely to be the ransom delivery.
But five of the dozens of pirates who had hijacked the tanker drowned when their small boat capsized as they returned to shore in rough weather. Three other pirates survived but also lost their share of the ransom.
Graeme Brooks, managing director of the British company Dryad Maritime Intelligence Service Ltd, said the incident was unlikely to deter attacks.
"The loss or potential loss of the ransom means the pirates will be all the more keen to get the next ransom in," he said. "There are people lining up to be pirates."
The Sirius Star had been held near the Ukrainian cargo ship MV Faina, which was loaded with 33 Soviet-designed battle tanks and crates of small arms. The same day the Sirius Star was released, the family members of the Faina crew appealed for help, saying they were not being kept informed about the negotiations or the state of their loved ones' health.
But a pirate spokesman said the 20 crew members on the MV Faina were doing well.
"The cargo is still there unharmed and the crew is healthy," Sugule Ali said. "Once the negotiations end in mutual understanding, the ship, its crew and the cargo as well will be released."
There have been several false alarms about the release of the MV Faina since it was seized last September. Ali said the pirates were still negotiating with the ship's owners.
"Nothing has changed from our previous demand of US$20 million ransom for the release of the ship, but as negotiations continue we are likely to reduce the amount," he said. American warships have been closely monitoring the Faina amid fears that some of the weapons onboard could be taken onshore and fall into the hands of Islamic insurgents.
The shaky Somali government is battling insurgents the United States says are linked to al-Qaida. But the situation is complicated by rivalries within the Islamist movement.
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