Crime

German ship hijacked by pirates off Somalia

German ship hijacked by pirates off SomaliaBerlin  - A German-flagged cargo ship was hijacked by pirates near the Somali coast, two German government ministries said Sunday in Berlin.

The Spiegel Online website in Germany quoted Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme, as saying it was a 20,000-gross-ton vessel. He did not name the vessel but said it had a crew of 24.

Three dead, seven wounded in ambush in southern Philippines

Three dead, seven wounded in ambush in southern Philippines Zamboanga City, Philippines - Three people were killed and seven wounded Monday when gunmen attacked a truck owned by a rubber plantation cooperative in the southern Philippines, police said.

The ambush occurred in Lantawan town in Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila, said Senior Superintendent Salik Macapantar, provincial police commander.

Macapantar said four of the wounded were in critical condition and rushed to hospital in Isabela City.

He said police still have no suspects and were investigating the ambush.

Somali pirates hijack Yemeni tugboat in Indian Ocean

Somali pirates hijack Yemeni tugboat in Indian OceanSana'a, Yemen - Somali pirates hijacked a Yemeni tugboat in the Indian Ocean and held its seven-member crew hostage on Sunday, Yemen's Interior Ministry reported.

Armed pirates took over the al-Ghaith boat with seven Yemeni sailors on board and took it to an unknown destination, the ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

No further details were immediately available.

Shipping routes off Somalia have become increasingly dangerous in recent months as Somalia descends further into chaos and unrest.

Fresh talks begin to free Dutch hostages in Yemen

Fresh talks begin to free Dutch hostages in YemenSana'a, Yemen - A senior Yemeni local official began on Sunday a new round of negotiations with kidnappers of a Dutch couple after mediation led by tribal leaders foundered, a municipal official said.

"A new round of talks is under way after negotiations between tribal chieftains and the abductors broke down yesterday," said Jamil Shuraih, the secretary-general of the Bani-Dhabian district where the Dutch hostages are being held.

ROUNDUP: German ship hijacked by pirates off Somalia

ROUNDUP: German ship hijacked by pirates off SomaliaBerlin - A German-flagged cargo ship, described in one news report as a container vessel, has apparently been hijacked by pirates near the Somali coast, two German government ministries in Berlin said Sunday.

The Spiegel Online website in Germany quoted Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme, as saying it was a 20,000-gross-ton vessel. He did not give its name, but said it had a crew of 24.

German ship hijacked by pirates off Somalia

German ship hijacked by pirates off Somalia Berlin  - A

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