Thai ship hijacked by pirates

SOMALIA

Somali pirates on two skiffs have attacked and boarded a Thai-flagged fishing vessel north of the Seychelles and off the coast of Somalia, the European Union Naval Force says.

The pirates were seen aboard the Thai Union 3 yesterday from a patrol aircraft when it was 370 kilometres north of the Seychelles, a statement on the force's website said.

The fishing vessel appeared to be headed for the Somali coast.

An EU naval force plane spotted the fishing boat and confirmed the pirates were on board.

"Skiffs used by pirates have been sighted on board the fishing vessel," the force said in a statement.

Thiraphong Chansiri, president of Thai Union Frozen Products Plc, the country's largest producer and exporter of canned and frozen seafood products, confirmed yesterday the Thai Union 3 seized by the Somali pirates was one of four vessels in its fleet north of the Seychelles.

The four vessels account for only 5% of the group's total shipping capacity.

Mr Thiraphong said damage was likely to be marginal, and an insurance firm would handle negotiations with the pirates and take care of any losses incurred.

However, he was most concerned about the safety of the 25 crew members, none of whom are Thais.

The Thai Union 3 is the third ship from Thailand seized in the area. Last year a Thai fishing vessel flying the Kiribati flag and the MV Thor Star owned by Thoresen Thai Agencies Plc were hijacked.

The hijacking of the Thai vessel takes the number of ships now being held by pirates off the Somali coastline to eight, the EU force said.

Pirates have plagued busy shipping lanes off the coast of Somalia for several years. Foreign warships from 16 nations are in the area to try and prevent hijacks, but the sea gangs now hunt for ships far into the Indian Ocean.