Third Greek vessel hijacked off Somalia
A third Greek ship has been hijacked off Somalia in just over a week, it was reported on Saturday, as the surge in the activity of pirates in the Indian Ocean continues. According to the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Center, a Greek chemical tanker with 19 crew on board was seized on Friday after being ambushed, chased and fired upon. The ship, which was not named, was carrying refined petroleum from Europe to the Middle East. Last week, the Merchant Marine Ministry asked the Foreign and Defense ministries to send a navy ship to the Indian Ocean to patrol waters as part of an international force already operating off Somalia after two Greek-flagged tankers were taken over by pirates.
