Somali security forces take pirated vessel

Published: Oct. 15, 2008 at 8:42 AM

BOSSASSO, Somalia, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Security forces from the semi-autonomous Somalia region of Puntland say they've stormed and captured a pirate-held ship in the Gulf of Aden.

Officials in Bossasso, Somalia, say soldiers boarded the Panamanian-registered ship Awail and rescued its crew unharmed after the pirates ran out of ammunition, the BBC reported Wednesday.

Two soldiers were injured in the rescue, the second try by Puntland officials to take the vessel, which was hijacked while carrying cement from Oman to Bossasso, the broadcaster said.

Regional officials have launched an urgent effort to gain control of the piracy epidemic off Somalia because many pirate gangs are based in the Puntland town of Eyl, the BBC reported.

Meanwhile, Somali pirates were still holding the Ukrainian ship MV Faina in the Indian Ocean, demanding a $20 million ransom for its crew and cargo of 33 tanks and other military equipment.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
No short-term yuan appreciation seen (19 min)
NHL: Montreal 4, Phoenix 2 (22 min)
Distracted man drives Bugatti into lagoon (32 min)
COL FB: Rutgers 31, South Florida 0 (36 min)
Tagliabue to head a study of USOC (42 min)
NFL: San Francisco 10, Chicago 6 (47 min)
NBA: Cleveland 109, Miami 102
fark
Drew's list of 'seasonal' stories is woefully incomplete without "annual turkey baster search"
Experts wonder if the upswing in retail theft may be connected to the unemployment rate. What the...
MPAA shuts down an entire town's wi-fi because one person illegally downloaded a movie. Take that,...
Verizon has found a way to charge you for accidental keystrokes
Coming to a hipster douche near you: 1890s fashion. 'Cause nothing says "manly" like knee socks,...
Tennessee man found asleep in a ditch with a loaded rifle and a bottle of moonshine