Los Angeles Times - Somali pirates hijack another merchant ship off Africa

Pirates prowling the treacherous waters off the Horn of Africa hijacked another merchant ship Tuesday -- at least the second in four days -- amid growing international concern about a 21st century version of an ancient security threat.

The Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship Delight and its 25-person crew were captured late Tuesday morning off the coast of Yemen, Beijing's New China News Agency reported, citing the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center. It was hauling 36,000 metric tons of wheat to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, the news service reported.

Sky News - Somali Pirates Scare off Tankers

Norwegian Odfjell SE group has instructed more than 90 of its tankers to sail around Africa, rather than use the Suez Canal.

The US and other naval forces decided against intervening in the seizure of the supertanker Sirius Star, which was carrying $100 million in crude oil.

The pirates have since captured an Iranian cargo ship, the seventh vessel to be seized in 12 days.

Odfjell SE said it would "not longer expose our crew to the risk of being hijacked and held for ransom by pirates in the Gulf of Aden".

The Saudi Arabian owned Star was seized hundreds of miles off the coast of Kenya in the most brazen attack yet staged by Somali pirates.

BBC - India sinks Somali pirate ship

The Indian navy has said that one of its warships in the Gulf of Aden has destroyed a ship belonging to pirates operating off the coast of Somalia.

The INS Tabar opened fire on a pirate "mother ship" after it came under attack, a government statement said.

There has been a surge in piracy incidents off Somalia.

The Saudi-owned Sirius Star supertanker is currently anchored off the Somali coast after the vessel and its 25 crew were seized by pirates.

Vela International, operators of the Sirius Star, told the BBC no demands had yet been received from the pirates. The company also said all the crew were safe.

The biggest tanker ever hijacked, Sirius Star is carrying a cargo of two million barrels - a quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output - worth more than $100m (£67m).

Reuters Africa - Asians step up defense against Somali pirates

TOKYO, Nov 19 (Reuters) - India said it had destroyed a Somali pirate vessel in the Gulf of Aden and other Asian nations mulled sending their own navies to the area on Wednesday as attacks in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes become increasingly brazen.

On Saturday a Saudi-owned tanker carrying $100 million worth of oil was seized in the Indian Ocean, becoming the biggest ever ship to be hijacked, despite a large international naval presence in the area, backed by the European Union and NATO.

No ransom has been demanded so far for the Saudi supertanker.

An Indian warship destroyed a Somali pirate vessel in a brief battle late on Tuesday, the navy said. But the attacks continued apace, with a Greek carrier and a Thai fishing vessel becoming the latest to be captured.

South Korea is likely to add its own warships to the international naval operation, an official said on Wednesday. Japan is also considering sending navy vessels, a newspaper report said, but its plan faces the twin obstacles of its pacifist constitution and a divided parliament. India has already deployed a warship.

"We believe this is a very serious issue, to be confronted jointly by the international community," Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Kazuo Kodama said in a telephone interview.

South Korean media said the Defence Ministry wanted to send at least one destroyer to the region. If parliament approves the measure, ships would likely be deployed early next year.

In the past few weeks, Somali pirates have captured a South Korean cargo vessel and held hostage South Korean sailors who were part of the crew of a Japanese ship.

India sent the INS Tabar to the Gulf of Aden last month following complaints from Indian shipping firms about the attacks, which are driving up insurance premiums, forcing ships to take detours and securing massive ransoms for the perpetrators.

For all the talk of naval intervention, there is little mention of finding an effective political solution.  A naval presence can make their life much harder, but a functioning government could snuff the problem entirely.