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Hijacked Super Tanker Anchored off Coast of Somalia

by Rob Walker | November 18, 2008 at 11:40 am

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The hijacked oil tanker Sirius Star, twice the size of an aircraft carrier and filled with $100 million worth of oil, is anchored off the coast of Somalia said their owners today.

At least 34 ships were hijacked off the coast of Somalia since January and at least 84 were attacked. 13 of those vessels are still in the hands of pirates.

The oil tanker Sirius Star, which has been seized by pirates, is now anchored off the coast of Somalia.

The super-tanker, carrying 2m barrels of oil and a crew of 25, was hijacked 450 nautical miles east of Kenya on Sunday.

The 318,000 tonne VLCC is the largest vessel seized in an epidemic of piracy in the region.

NATO stated today it has no mandate to attack and board the vessel, since the attack took place in an area of the Indian Ocean far from any UN vessels.

NATO has no plans to intercept the Saudi supertanker hijacked by Somali pirates since its warships in the area have no mandate to board captured merchant vessels by force, a spokesman said Tuesday.

The owner of the tanker is working to free the crew, which will almost certainly involve a ransom.

An earlier statement from the company said the 25 crew on board the fully loaded tanker were unharmed and that crisis teams had been set up to try to win their release and the return of the vessel.

The Sirius Star‘s cargo is worth about $100 million at current prices, but the pirates have no way to unload it from the tanker.

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Jennings David L

at 11:56 on November 18th, 2008

I am surprised that the U.S. and other countries continue to let these pirated continue to operate. Unreal.

Fairbanks

at 11:57 on November 18th, 2008

NATO stated today it has no mandate to attack

. . . Did somebody ask NATO? Ask Saudi King the owner or whoever is purchasing the oil. .

Fairbanks

at 12:02 on November 18th, 2008

Jennings David L, the USA and other countries do not just charge into incidents. Agreements or mandates or other contracts need to exist. Saudi has not contracted with the USA or others to protect their shipments.