Pirates demand a $10 million ransom to release a Chinese fishing boat and its 18 crew members.
Pirates who hijacked a Chinese fishing boat with 18 crew members on board in Somali waters last November demanded a $10 million ransom in exchange for the release of the vessel and crew, Somali officials said.
The pirates released photos of the kidnapped crew members, who were held hostage by gunmen on the deck of the ship and transported to the Chaweng area of the semi-autonomous Puntland state.
The pirates were joined by security guards on the ship. Somali government officials said the ship obtained a fishing license from Puntland in 2020, but it had expired.
The official requested anonymity because he was not allowed to discuss the case publicly and did not provide details of the rescue operation.
The EU maritime anti-piracy force Eunavfor Atalanta characterized the incident as a robbery.
The hijacking highlights the current maritime security challenges facing shipping in Somali waters. Somalia has been a hotbed of piracy for years, with incidents peaking in 2011 when more than 160 pirate attacks were reported off the coast of Somalia, according to the United Nations.
The incidents died down a few years ago, but piracy appears to be on the rise again, with Red Sea shipping suffering from Houthi attacks, forcing ships to take longer routes around Africa.
