SVG-Flagged Ship Hijacked

April 13, 2010

CaribWorldNews, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. April 13, 2010: A St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged cargo ship has become the latest to be hijacked by Somalian pirates.

The MV RAK AFRIKANA cargo ship was reportedly taken approximately 280 nautical miles or 322 miles West of the Seychelles Sunday morning.

The MV RAK AFRIKANA has a deadweight of 7,561 tones and is owned by Rak Afrikana Shipping LTD from Seychelles. It reportedly has a crew of 26 from India, Pakistan and Tanzania.

The European Union Naval Force has sent its forces to investigate the hijacking, EU NAVFOR said. EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA`s, main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the `World Food Program` (WFP) and vessels of AMISOM, and to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EUNAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.