MOGADISHU: A Russian warship was heading for the pirate-ridden waters off Somalia yesterday after a Ukrainian freighter was seized with tanks and other military hardware aboard.
The Belize-flagged Faina with a crew of 21, including three Russians, was hijacked Thursday while on its way to the Kenyan port of Mombasa, reportedly with a cargo including 30 T-72 battle tanks and armored vehicle spares.
That would be a significant seizure in Somalia, where insurgents have been battling for nearly two years against the government and its Ethiopian military ally.
Although under a UN arms embargo, the Horn of Africa nation is awash with arms. Reports that the tanks had been taken also raised questions about their original planned destination.
Andrew Mwangura, who runs the Kenya chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Program, said the roll-on-roll-off cargo ship, the Faina, had been heading from the Baltic to discharge 2,320 tons of military hardware.
Announcing the dispatch of the frigate, Russian Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo said the reason for the deployment was “the rise in pirate attacks, including against Russian citizens.”
The Faina’s whereabouts were unknown yesterday but Somali pirates often take ships to Eyl, a harbor in the lawless country’s northern breakaway region of Puntland.
The owners of the cargo, which reportedly originated from the Baltic states, remained unclear but most East Africa nations use Mombasa for their imports.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said late Thursday authorities were verifying the shipment of the freighter managed by the Ukraine-based Tomax Team company. Its crew comprises 17 Ukrainians, three Russians and a Latvian, the company said.
“The captain reported that three cutter boats with armed people approached the Faina, and then communication was cut off,” it added. Dozens of ships, mainly merchant vessels, have been seized by gangs off Somalia’s 3,700-km coastline in recent years, despite the presence of Western navies deployed in the region to fight terrorism.
