Somalia ship hijack: Pirates demand ransom

Hijackers holding an oil tanker off the coast of Somalia are demanding a ransom, the European Union anti-piracy naval force says.

According to BBC, the EU force made contact with the ship’s master who said his vessel and crew were being held captive anchored off the coast of north-east Somalia.

The gunmen have however not given any details about the size of the ransom.

The EU is helping to tackle piracy in the region but this is the first hijack off Somalia’s coast since 2012.

The ship was en route from Djibouti to the Somali capital, Mogadishu, when it sent a distress signal, saying it was being approached by high-speed boats.

The ships tracking system has reportedly been switched off.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry has confirmed that eight of its nationals were on board.

The gunmen have told a local official they are fishermen whose equipment was destroyed by illegal fishing vessels.

Ali Shire Mohamud Osman, the district commissioner in the town of Alula, near where the ship has been taken, told the BBC he was trying to find out if the gunmen really were fishermen or were organised pirates.

“The men who are holding it claim that they are fishermen who suffered from the illegal fishing in the area. However, if we confirm that they are pirates, I will ask them to leave the area immediately. Otherwise, we will see how we can save the vessel,” he said.

The vessel was carrying oil and was owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), despite conflicting reports over the flag it was sailing under, he added.

The European Union Naval Force, which runs anti-piracy operations in the area, said it was too early to confirm pirate involvement.

It has sent a plane to the area to investigate.

Eight people are believed to have been on board the ship, which can carry almost 12,000 tonnes of cargo.