Shipping industry organisations have expressed outrage at reports that Somali pirates have executed one seafarer and tortured others.
The pirates hijacked the merchant ship Beluga Nomination on 22nd January in the Indian Ocean, 390 nautical miles north of the Seychelles.
Three seafarers were reportedly taken aside for “punishment” after an attempt by the Seychelles coastguard to free the hostage crew resulted in the death of a pirate. We express our deepest sympathy to the seafarers involved and to their anxious families.
The organisations, BIMCO, the International Chamber of Shipping, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO and the International Transport Workers’ Federation, said: “The international shipping industry is truly disturbed at reports that pirates have been torturing seafarers physically and mentally, often in the most barbaric ways, including hanging them over the ship’s side by ropes around their ankles with their heads under water and even subjecting them to the horrendous practice of keelhauling.
“We wholeheartedly condemn these violent acts and once again strongly urge governments to empower their naval forces to take fast and robust action against pirates, and the vessels under their control, before passing ships are boarded and hijacked.”
Piracy is now estimated to cost the global economy between $7-12 billion per year.
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