Photo: Stockfile/FIS

Pirates Reject Million-Euro Ransom, Spanish Warship Intervenes in Chinese Fishing Vessel Seizure

SOMALIA
Wednesday, December 11, 2024, 00:00 (GMT + 9)

A Chinese fishing vessel with 18 crew members on board has been hijacked by Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia.

The forces of Puntland, a self-declared autonomous state in Somalia, have launched an operation to rescue the Chinese fishing vessel and its 18 crew members, who were taken hostage by Somali pirates.

The vessel, registered under Puntland authorities, was fishing when it was captured by armed pirates carrying AK-47 rifles and machine guns, according to a report last Thursday by the European Union's (EU) Operation Atalanta, which combats piracy in the Indian Ocean.

Puntland, officially the Puntland State of Somalia, is an autonomous territory formed in 1998 that became a Federal Member State. Puntland is located in the northeastern part of Somalia and its state capital is the city of Garoowe in the Nugal region. ==>

The Spanish frigate Santa María is participating in the operation, monitoring the hijacked fishing vessel.

The Spanish frigate is the only one deployed in the area as part of Atalanta and is in constant contact with Somali and Chinese authorities, as well as the EU delegation in Somalia.

According to local media, the pirates have rejected an offer of around one million euros from local businessmen, as the authorities have refused to make any payments.

Local media reports that the pirates have demanded a ransom, but the regional authorities have rejected any payment and prefer an armed operation if the kidnappers refuse to release the fishing vessel. "The company that owns the ship has also been informed that there will be no negotiation with the pirates," said an official in statements published by the Hiiraan Online portal. According to that media, Puntland businessmen linked to the vessel's activities are trying to mediate to reach a peaceful solution, but the pirates have reportedly rejected a ransom offer of one million dollars (about 946,000 euros).

Spanish Frigate 'Santa Maria'

After receiving an alert from the Puntland maritime service, the Santa María monitored the Chinese vessel to gather information confirming that it was under the control of suspected pirates, some of whom were carrying AK-47s and machine guns, Atalanta said in a statement. The Spanish frigate is the only one deployed in the area as part of Atalanta, in constant contact with Somali and Chinese authorities, as well as the EU delegation in Somalia.

Last March, the Bangladeshi vessel MV Abdullah was hijacked by Somali pirates with 23 sailors on board and was released after a ransom was paid. Although the parties involved did not disclose the amount of the ransom, Bangladeshi media reported that the ship's owner paid five million dollars (about 4.7 million euros).

Between 2005 and 2011, the waters of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean near Somalia, the country with the longest coastline on the African continent (over 3,000 kilometers), were the scene of constant attacks and ship hijackings by Somali pirates, who demanded high ransoms. Although only ten were confirmed in 2012 and only two ships were hijacked between 2013 and 2023, suspicious incidents have continued to be reported.

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