- Armed pirates have seized a Hong Kong cargo ship with 25 of its crew members in Gulf of Aden, China's maritime search rescue centre confirmed today. A ship, Delight was headed for Bandar Abbas Iran reportedly carrying 36,000 tons of wheat.
Today's attack follows seizure of Saudi oil tanker with a £100m oil cargo by pirates off the coast of Africa on Saturday. According to local media reports, pirates are still in control of a ship, which is now anchored off coast of Somalia.
Navy Commander Jane Campbell of Bahrain-based 5th Fleet also confirmed a ship flying a Hong Kong flag but operated by Islamic republic of Iran Shipping lanes was attacked in the Gulf of Aden.
Since early this year, over 80 ships are estimated to have been attacked in African waters, with at least over 10 more ships believed to be in the hands of pirates along with more that 200 crew members.
Each year about 20,000 vessels pass through the Gulf of Aden, which links Indian Ocean with Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.
Escalating pirate hijackings has activated involvement of multi-coalition naval force to patrol world's most dangerous waters. In recent months, multinational taskforce based in Djibouti has been patrolling parts of Gulf of Aden and Red Sea, where pirating is rife.
However, dozens of merchant vessels have been seized by gangs off Somalia's 3,700-kilometre coastline in recent years, despite presence of Western navies deployed to fight terrorism.
Somalia has been without an effective central authority since 1991 ousting of former president Mohamed Siad Bare set off a deadly power struggle that has defied more than a dozen peace initiatives.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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