Somali pirates hijack products tanker

EU Navfor says that late on the morning of July 16, the owners of the MV JUBBA XX reported that the laden tanker had been pirated in the northern Indian Ocean, on itsr regular route from the United Arab Emirates to the port of Berbera, Somalia

The vessel was located by a Maritime Patrol aircraft  on the morning of July 17, t 100 nautical miles north-west of Socotra Island, heading to the northern Somali coast.

EU Navfor says it is reported that 9 suspected Somali pirates are on board MV JUBBA XX.

The MV JUBBA XX is a UAE owned and flagged oil tanker, deadweight of 4,831 tonnes, with a crew of 16 (one Sri Lankan, five Indians,  three Bangladesh, one Sudanese, one Myanmar, one Kenyan and four Somali).

There is no information on the condition of the crew and the vessel was not registered with MSCHOA at the time of the pirating. EUNAVFOR continues to monitor the situation.

July 18, 2011