Chinese Fishing Vessel Taken By Somali Pirates

Brief report here

A group of pirates overpowered the crew of a fishing vessel and boarded in Somalia’s most southern waters. The loot reached a nearby town, Koyame 60 KM south of Kismayo. People in the area said the ship belongs to a Chinese firm and it was fishing inside Somali territorial waters when the pirates attacked it.

This incident is the fourth of string of kidnappings in the past three months. WFP (World Food Program) rented ship carrying humanitarian food for Somalia was kidnapped last month and is still held in central Somalia where it was looted by armed pirates.

Although most Somalis condemned the kidnappings of humanitarian vessels, large fishing vessels that come to Somalia waters from all parts of the world and sweep Somalia’s natural resources are seen differently. Confrontations between ill-equipped Somali fishermen and these foreign vessels occur regularly. Some fishermen lost their lives and others are missing.

Foreign fishing vessels are discouraged to venture into lawless Somalia unless they have some sort of agreements with people who control where they are planning to fish.

Stay away from Somali waters. Period.