World Food Program Ship Being Off-loaded - by the Pirates (now "Looters")

The on-going tale of the M/V Semlow continues here with news that the rice cargo of the ship is being unloaded by the pirates, in an act being referred to as "looting." The arrival of so much rice in the market has also depressed rice prices.

"The sea pirates began off-loading late last night. The residents of here woke up and saw this morning the commodity brought to the markets, which caused the prices of rice to fall," said Abdi Guled, a resident of Harardheere town.

Asha Yusuf, a businesswoman, added: "Today the price of the market is incredible, and all commodities prices have fallen down unexpectedly."

In the capital Mogadishu, some businessmen said they were taking advantage of the situation to hire several lorries to go and buy cheap rice in the north.

The WFP offers up more condemnation and the ship's charterer hopes this means the ship and crew will soon be released.

Simply amazing.

Update: Original seizure report here, follow up here and here.