South Korea: Korean warship reaches oil tanker in the hands of Somali pirates

Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) – A South Korean warship has tracked down and is following at a safe distance the super-tanker seized by Somali pirates in Indian Ocean waters. The Samho Dream can carry up to 300 thousand tons, has 24 crew members and is packed with crude oil. The vessel left Iraq and was heading towards the United States, the pirates have not yet made any ransom demand.

When the crew of the tanker – sailing under the South Korean flag – first launched the alarm, the warship stationed in the Gulf of Aden, was about 1500 km southeast of the area where the seizure occurred. The South Korean Foreign Ministry reports that the cruiser is following the tanker at a distance, which the pirates have directed toward the coast of Somalia.

On board there are about 1.5 million barrels of oil: a load of great value, but equally volatile and at a fire hazard in the event of an armed intervention. At the risk not only the 24 crew members – including 19 Filipinos and 5 South Koreans, – but there is also a well founded fear of environmental damage in the event of a crude oil spill.

Last year Somali pirates obtained tens of millions of dollars in ransom. South Korea is one of many Asian nations that have committed warships in the struggle of Western countries against piracy in the waters off Somalia. In recent years, at least four freighters with the flag of Seoul ended up in the hands of pirates, who released the vessels and their crew only after the payment of multi million dollar ransoms.

Bartamaha, Nairobi.