By Xinhua,
Amman : A Jordanian-flagged ship might have been seized by pirates off Somali coast, the official Petra news agency reported Saturday, quoting Transport Minister Alaa Batayneh.
The vessel, “Victoria,” owned by a United Arab Emirates company, was sailing from India to Somali capital Mogadishu with 4,200 tons of sugar, which was humanitarian aid from Denmark, Batayneh said.
Authorities lost contact with the vessel Saturday morning where 12 crew members from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Tanzania were on board, he said.
Jordan’s ministries of Transport and Foreign Affairs were coordinating with concerned nations like Denmark to rescue the ship and the crew staff, Batayneh said.
Jordan has an agreement with Denmark that entitles ships with the Jordanian flag to the protection of Denmark in Somali waters, according to the report.
Piracy is rampant in Somali waters, making it one of the most dangerous shipping zones in the world. Last month, a draft resolution was submitted to the UN Security Council, urging maritime powers to fight piracy off Somali coast.