Nairobi, December 29: Somali pirates seized a UK-flagged chemical freighter carrying 26 crew members in the Gulf of Aden, a maritime official said Tuesday.
The St James Park was captured on Monday while on its way to Thailand from Spain in the key maritime route patrolled by international navies, said Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based Seafarers Assistance Programme.
“It has now changed course towards the northern coast of Somalia. It is expected to arrive there later this evening,” Mwangura said.
The crew are from Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Philippines, Poland, Georgia, India and Turkey.
International navies have deployed in the Gulf of Aden following a spike in attacks on foreign vessels in one of the world’s most important trade routes.
Their presence has forced pirates to travel further from their home bases into the Indian Ocean, where many of the recent attacks have taken place.
—Agencies