afrol News, 18 November - Armed pirates have seized a Hong Kong cargo ship with 25 of its crew members in Gulf of Aden, China's maritime search rescue centre confirmed today. A ship, Delight was headed for Bandar Abbas Iran reportedly carrying 36,000 tons of wheat.

Today's attack follows seizure of Saudi oil tanker with a £100m oil cargo by pirates off the coast of Africa on Saturday. According to local media reports, pirates are still in control of a ship, which is now anchored off coast of Somalia.

Navy Commander Jane Campbell of Bahrain-based 5th Fleet also confirmed a ship flying a Hong Kong flag but operated by Islamic republic of Iran Shipping lanes was attacked in the Gulf of Aden.

Since early this year, over 80 ships are estimated to have been attacked in African waters, with at least over 10 more ships believed to be in the hands of pirates along with more that 200 crew members.

Each year about 20,000 vessels pass through the Gulf of Aden, which links Indian Ocean with Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.

Escalating pirate hijackings has activated involvement of multi-coalition naval force to patrol world's most dangerous waters. In recent months, multinational taskforce based in Djibouti has been patrolling parts of Gulf of Aden and Red Sea, where pirating is rife.

However, dozens of merchant vessels have been seized by gangs off Somalia's 3,700-kilometre coastline in recent years, despite presence of Western navies deployed to fight terrorism.

Somalia has been without an effective central authority since 1991 ousting of former president Mohamed Siad Bare set off a deadly power struggle that has defied more than a dozen peace initiatives.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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