2011 Record of Vessels Hijacked by Somali Pirates

Hijacks:

• 1 Jan - Algeria-flagged bulk carrier, MV Blida, was attacked and hijacked by armed pirates in position 15:45N - 055:52E, off Oman at apporixmately 1030 UTC. Four armed pirates attacked, hijacked and took 27 crew hostage. Vessel released 3 Nov.

• 9 Jan - Indian dhow, Al Musa, attacked and hijacked in position 17:42N - 057:17E, around 152nm ENE of Salalah, Oman at approximately 0400 UTC. Armed pirates in skiffs fired upon and boarded the dhow, taking 14 crew hostage. Vessel was released 24 Jan.

• 15 Jan - Malta-flagged chemical tanker, MT Samho Jewelry, attacked and hijacked in position 22:00N - 064:00E, around 310nm ExS of Muscat, Oman at about 0800 UTC. Armed pirates attacked and boarded the tanker and took hostage 21 crew. The tanker was used as a mothership to attack other vessels. On 21 Jan, the Korean Navy intercepted and rescued the tanker and 21 crew. The Master was shot and injured by pirates during the rescue operation. Eight pirates were killed. The Master later received the IMO 2011 Bravery Award.

• 17 Jan - Cyprus-flagged bulk carrier, MV Eagle, attacked and hijacked in position 13:17N - 061:42E, around 417nm E of Socotra Isalnd, Yemen at about 0641 UTC. Six armed pirates used guns and RPG hijacking the ship and taking 24 crew hostage. Vessel released 19 Aug.

• 17 Jan - Mongolai-flagged bulk carrier, MV Hoang Son Sun, attacked and hijacked in position 18:36N - 064:22E, around 370nm E of Oman at about 0700 UTC. Pirates attacked, boarded and hijacked the ship and all crew, then sailed to Somali coast. Vessel released 17 Sep.

• 20 Jan - Tog-flagged bulk carrier, MV Khaled Muhieddine K, attacked and hijacked in position 15:11N - 0059:38Em around 330nm ESE of Salalah, Oman at about 1242 UTC. Armed pirates boarded and hijacked the ship and took 25 crew hostage, then sailed to the Somali coast. Vessel released 25 May.

• 20 Jan - Panama-flagged chemical tanker, MT Bunga Laurel, attacked and hijacked in position 20:09N - 063:58E, around 273nm SE of Ras Al Hadd, Oman at about 1359 UTC. Seven pirates boarded the tanker as the crew had locked themselves in the citadel and had requested assistance. A Malaysian auxiliary naval vessel responded by sending a boarding team which boarded the tanker and detained the pirates. The vessel and crew were safely rescued.

• 22 Jan - Antigua & Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship, MV Beluga Nomination, attacked and hijacked in position 01:49N - 056:35E, around 360nm N of Seychelles at about 1236 UTC. Pirates chased, fired upon and boarded the ship as the crew had locked themselves in the citadel and had requested assistance. The pirates managed to gain command of the ship after 2 days. Two crew members managed to escape in a lifeboat and were later rescued by a warship. Three other crew members died during an attempted rescue (one possibly shot by pirates and two others drowned when jumping into the sea trying to escape). The remaining seven crew were taken hostage, and the ship sailed to the Somali coast. Vessel released 13 Apr.

• 8 Feb - Italy-flagged tanker, MT Savina Caylyn, attacked and hijacked in position 12:07N - 065:35E, around 490nm NW of Minicoy Island, India at about 0450 UTC. Five armed pirates chased and fired upon the tanker which was boarded and hijacked. Vessel released 21 Dec.

• 9 Feb - Greece-flagged tanker, MT Irene SL, attacked and hijacked in position 21:27N - 063:18E, around 205nm WNW of Ras Al Hadd, Oman at about 0926 UTC. Armed pirates chased and fired upon the tanker, managing to board and hijack the vessel with25 crew taken hostage. Vessel released 7 Apr.

• 12 Feb - Malta-flagged bulk carrier, MV Sinin, attacked and hijacked in position 20:15N - 064:16E, around 280nm SE of ras Al Hadd, oman at about 1218 UTC. The owners received a distress alert from the ship and informed the coalition forces. An aircraft was sent to the location and observed 2 skiffs onboard the ship. Pirates had taken all 25 crew as hostages. Vessel released 13 Aug.

• 13 Feb - Yemen-flagged fishing vessel, FV Alfadous attacked by armed pirates when underway in approximate position 12:00N - 053:02E, around 8nm S of Samhah Island, Yemen. Pirates attacked and hijacked the FV taking hostage all 8 crew. FV was suspected of being used as a pirate mothership for further attacks.

• 18 Feb - US-flagged yacht, Quest, attacked and hijacked in position 18:00N - 061:02E, around 345nm ExN of Salalah, Oman at about 1323 UTC. The yacht was hijacked with 4 crew taken hostage. A US coalition warship intercepted the yacht, and after being fired upon by pirates onboard the yacht, boarded the vessel but found the 4 crew dead. The pirates were detained.

• 24 Feb - Denmark-flagged yacht, ING, attacked and hijacked off Somalia. Pirates boarded the yacht, taking the seven Danish crew, including 3 children, hostage. Seven crew released 7 Sep.

• 28 Feb - Panama-flagged bulk carrier, MV Dover, attacked and hijacked in position 18:48N - 058:25E, aound 265nm NE of Salalah, Oman at about 0600 UTC. Ship and 24 crew taken hostage. During captivity, used to hold Danish family and crew from yacht ING. Vessel released 30 Sep.

• 16 Mar - Indonesia-flagged general cargo ship, MV Sinar Kudus, attacked and hijacked in position 14:21N - 059:25E, around 310nm off Socotra Island, Yemen at about 1642 UTC. Aroudn 40 armed pirates took the 20 crew hostage and used the vessel for mothership piracy operations.Vessel released 1 May.

• 21 Mar - Liberia-flagged tanker, Al-Nouf, attacked in position 03:47N 053:33E, around 495nm NE of Mogadishu, Somalia at about 0846 UTC. Chased by mothersip and 2 skiffs with 4 pirates in 1 skiff and 10 pirates in another skiff, guns and RPG were fired at the tanker. The Master increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres and activated SSAS. The Master, 2 crew and unarmed security team remained on the Bridge whilst the remaining crew mustered in the citadel. Although the vessel evaded the boarding attempt, two crew sustained minor injuries but another was in serious condition. The tanker sustained damage.

• 28 Mar - UAE-flagged tanker, MT Zirku, attacked and hijacked in postion 15:36N - 057:04E, around 189nm SE of Salalah, Oman at about 1642 UTC. Pirates armed with guns and RPG in 2 skiffs chased and fired at the tanker. The Master increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres, fired rocket flares and crew activted fire hoses. The pirates managed to come alongside, board and hijack the tanker. Vessel released 11 Jun.

• 8 Apr - Antigua & Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship, MV Susan K, attacked and hijacked in position 18:25N - 057:27E, about 30nm off Ras Al Masrah, Oman at about 0234 UTC. 10 armed pirates attacked the vessel as the 10 crew members retreated into the citadel and requested assistance. The pirates managed to gain access into the citadel and took the crew hostage. Vessel released 16 Jun.

• 16 Apr - Yemen fishing vessel, Abdi Khan, attacked and hijacked in position 11:54N - 054:05E, around 25nm S of Socotra Island, Yemen. Pirates took 6 crew hostage. Later released 3 crew and sent them to Yemen along with another Yemeni fishing vessle. The remaining crew continue to be held hostage.

• 19 Apr - Seychelles fishing vessel, Gloria, attacked and hijacked in position 03:47S - 055:41E, off Denis Island, Seychelles. Seven pirates aremed with Ak-47 and RPG boarded the FV. Crew sent distress alert picked up by Seychelles CG. Pirates took 4 crew hostage and ordered them to sail to Somalia. 20 Apr, Seychelles CG launched an operation which resulted in the rescue of the crew and detaining of 7 pirates. One crew member slightly hurt during operation. Three pirates injured with 1 killed.

• 21 Apr - Italy-flagged bulk carrier, Rosalia D'Amato attacked and hijacked in position 13:16.7N - 059:05.6E, around 365nm SE of Salalah, Oman at about 0204 UTC. Armed pirates in a skiff chased and fired upon the ship, managing to board and take all the crew hostage. Vessel released 26 Nov.

• 30 Apr - Singapore-flagged chemical tanker, Gemini, attacked and hijacked in position 07:00S - 041:20E,around 115nm ESE of Zanzibar Island, Tanzania at about 0420 UTC. Pirates in 2 skiffs boarded the tanker taking 24 crew hostage. The vessel was released 30 Nov.

• 16 Jul - UAE product tanker, MT Jubba XX, attacked by armed pirates in position 13:48N - 051:25E, aroudn 130nm NW of Socotra, Yemen. Armed pirates attacked and boarded the tanker. The tanker was hijacked with 16 crew and taken to Somalia. Vessel was released shortly after.

• 20 Aug - Marshall Island-flagged chemical tanker, MT Fairchem Bogey, attacked and hijacked in position 16:54N - 054:03E, at Salalah Anchorage, Oman at approximately 0108 UTC. Armed pirates boarded and hijacked the tanker taking the 21 crew memmbers hostage. Omani authorities intercepted the tanker but the pirates threatened to harm the crew if any action was taken. Vessel released 12 Jan 2012.

• 27 Aug - Fishing vessel, Al Ain, hijacked with 13 Yemen crew onboard off Somali coast. Eight pirates hijacked the vessel off Bargaal district. 3 crew were reportedly wounded in the attack. Vessel reported being used as a mothership with some of the crew held captive on land in Ras Bina near Bargaal.

• 8 Sep - French yacht, Tribal Kat, was attacked and boarded by armed pirates in position 15:27N - 052:14E, around 20nm S of Nishtun, Gulf of Aden, at approximately 1317 UTC. Pirates fired at the yacht and board the vessel taking the crew hostage. A naval boarding team arrived later, boarded the yacht which had been abandoned by the pirates. One crew memeber was later rescued 9 Sep, but the other crew member was reported killed.

• 29 Oct - Sri Lanka-flagged fishing vessel, Nimesha Duwa, reported in postion 02:09N - 059:39E. Owners reported had not been able to contact FV and believed vessel had been hijacked and taken to Somalia. Last known position was on 11 Dec near Grisby anchorage in Somalia.

• 31 Oct - Marshall Island-flagged chemical tanker, MT Liquid Velvet, was attacked and boarded by armed pirates in position 12:00N - 045:33E, Gulf of Aden at approximately 0858 UTC. Armed pirates attacked and hijacked the tanker taking all 22 crew hostage, including an unarmed security person, and sailed to Somalia.

• 3 Nov - Taiwan-flagged fishing vessel, Chin Yu Wen, attacked and hijacked in position 06:10S - 051:10E, around 260nm SW of Seychelles at about 2100 UTC. Pirates boarded the FV and hijacked the vessel with 28 crew taken hostage and sailed toward the Somali coast. On 5 Nov, the crew managed toregain control of the FV and rendezvoused with a warship that provided assistance. All 28 crew were safe, although 3 sustained minor injuries. Pirates were detained and taken to the Seychelles.

• 27 Dec - Italy-flagged chemical tanker, Enrico Ievoli, attacked and hijacked in position 18:18N - 057:36E, around 44nm SSW of Ras Al Madrakah, Oman at about 0403 UTC. Pirates in a skiff chased and fired upon, the vessel. They boarded and hijacked the ship taking 18 crew hostage headed toward Somali coast.

• Not shown on record: 30 Oct - Seychelles-flagged fishing vessel, Aride, hijacked with 2 personnel onboard. Precise details of capture are not known

  Source: Somalia Report

  3rg Maritime Security