Pirates hijack S. Korean trawler

SEOUL, South Korea – Somali pirates have hijacked a South Korean-operated fishing boat with 43 sailors, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said today.

Two South Koreans, two Chinese and 39 Kenyans were aboard the 241-ton Kenya-registered trawler when it was attacked Oct. 9 in the waters off Kenya’s Lamu Island, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It wasn’t immediately known if negotiations with the pirates had begun or if they were demanding a ransom.

Seoul’s Yonhap news agency reported that the ship had been fishing for crab in the area for about one month before being seized and taken to a pirate stronghold in northern Somalia.

It identified the ship as the Keummi 305 and the two abducted South Koreans as the 54-year-old captain and a 67-year-old engineer.

Yonhap said the area has been considered relatively safe because it is about 250 miles away from the nearest pirate base and Kenya’s navy regularly patrols the site.

Kidnapping for ransom is common in Somalia. Hostages are rarely hurt and usually freed after a ransom is paid. Somalia, which has had no functioning government since 1991, is the world’s top piracy hot spot, with armed gangs seizing cargo and holding crew for ransom.