Iranian vessel hijacked by somali pirates
Shares
Somali pirates hijacked an Iranian fishing vessel on Tuesday to use as a base to attack bigger, more valuable ships, the mayor of a Somali town said, part of an upsurge in attacks following years of relative calm.
Crews have let security procedures slip in recent years and travel far closer to pirate-infested shores than authorities recommend, shipping sources say.
The pirate gangs launch small, fast skiffs from bases on shore to try hijack vessels.
"A group of Somali pirates captured an Iranian fishing vessel and are using it as a mother ship in order to hijack (other) ships," Ali Shire, the mayor of Haabo in the northern semi-autonomous region of Puntland, told Reuters.
