Reports: Somali pirates seize ship carrying 30 tanks

Somali pirates seized a ship yesterday that may have been carrying about 30 T-72 tanks off the coast of western Africa, a Ukrainian news agency reports, citing an anonymous source.

Interfax says hijackers seized control of the Faina, which was carrying 21 people, while it was en route to Kenya with the military hardware. Reuters says the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry confirmed the hijacking, but didn't disclose the ship's cargo.

"Andrew Mwangura, who runs the Kenya chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Program, confirmed to the BBC that the ship was carrying a cargo of tanks," the British broadcaster reports. "The tanks were due to be transported by road from Kenya to South Sudan."

This map shows that pirates have been very active in recent months.

Earlier:
• Group reports 10% increase in pirate attacks last year
• Pirates seize French yacht off Somali coast
• Navy stops pirates from attacking merchant ship near Somalia

Posted by Mike Carney at 08:25 AM/ET, September 26, 2008
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