Families plead for Somali pirates to release ship’s crew

“Some fear is developing in our hearts. We fear for the lives of our loved ones,” a tearful Makalandawa said after meeting with Sri Lankan foreign ministry officials. She said officials and families were meeting with the shipping agent on Thursday.

Families have no way of communicating with the captive crew, Makalandawa said.

“Please release them. I appeal to you because these crew members include fathers, sons and husbands. The have gone to sea to earn money to sustain their families,” she said.

The EU statement said the naval operation on Tuesday afternoon finally made contact with the ship’s master, who confirmed that armed men were aboard the Comoros-flagged tanker Aris 13.

A Somali pirate who said he was in touch with the armed men aboard the tanker said they have locked most of the crew in one room and cut off communication lines.

“Their main concern now is a possible rescue attempt, so that’s why all communications were cut off in the afternoon,” Bile Hussein told The Associated Press.

He said the amount of ransom to demand had not yet been decided.

Somali pirates usually hijack ships and crew for ransom. They don’t normally kill hostages unless they come under attack.

“They are human. Even the pirates are human. We can talk over this peacefully,” Makalandawa said.

The ship had been carrying fuel from Djibouti to Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, when it was approached by men in two skiffs.

Salad Nur, a local elder, told the AP that the ship was anchored off the town of Alula. Somalia’s northern coast is known to be used by weapons smugglers and members of the al-Qaida-linked extremist group al-Shabab.

A U.N. shipping database shows the Aris 13 is owned by Armi Shipping SA, whose address is listed in care of Aurora Ship Management FZE, a company based in the United Arab Emirates. Calls and emails to Aurora went unanswered.

___

Mallawarachi reported from Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Abdi Guled And Bharatha Mallawarachi, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Families plead for Somali pirates to release ship’s crew

Our Community