Somali pirates hijack Indian dhow
From correspondents in Nairobi
SOMALI gunmen hijacked an Indian dhow near the main port of Mogadishu overnight, the latest attack in a surge of piracy off the Somali coast this year, maritime officials said.
The hijackers took control of the small merchant sailing vessel Al Hakik at around 5pm local time (midnight AEST Friday), but there was no news yet of the crew, said Andrew Mwangura of the Kenyan branch of the Seafarers Assistance Program.
"We have no information about whether the dhow was arriving or leaving the port," he said.
A dhow is a small traditional sailing vessel used in the region.
Mr Mwangura said news of the hijack had been relayed to the Indian High Commission offices in Nairobi.
Last week, the International Maritime Bureau said this year had seen at least seven pirate attacks off Somalia's 3700 kilometres of unpatrolled coastline.
In 2006, there were 10 pirate attacks, down from 35 the previous year.
Pirate attacks stopped in the second half of 2006 during six months of strict rule by Islamists, who were ousted by Ethiopian and Somali troops at the end of the year.
Somalia, which lies at the tip of the Red Sea, has been without an effective government since the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre sparked a bloody power struggle.
