Canadian warship aids crew released by Somali pirates

SOMALI BASIN, Indian Ocean – A Canadian warship on Monday helped in the release of a Singapore-flagged ship that had been used by Somalia pirates to kidnap a British couple sailing around the world, according to the Department of National Defence.

The HMCS Fredericton intercepted the MV Kota Wajar off Somalia’s coast Monday afternoon shortly after it was released by Somali pirates who had hijacked and seized the vessel in mid-October. Canadian sailors boarded the ship to provide medical aid to the 21 crew members and ensure no pirates remained on board, the Canadian military said in a statement.

The ship was used by Somali pirates as a so-called mother ship to launch pirate attacks, including the October kidnapping of a British couple still held in captivity, said the statement.

The ship was released after the pirates received a ransom, the statement said. The ransom was reportedly $4 million.

"It was very fortunate that we were in proximity to the Kota Wajar and able to act as fast as we could to provide them assistance as they cleared Somali waters" said Cmdr. Steve Waddell, the HMCS Fredericton’s commanding officer, in the statement. "As my team prepared for the mission, it helped to understand the plight that this crew just endured and that we could offer just a little bit of humanity to them."

The HMCS Fredericton is currently deployed on a six-month mission with NATO in the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa to conduct counter piracy and counter terror operations.

"If anyone ever needed a reason to understand why Fredericton is here, it was made clear (Monday)," said Waddell, in the statement. "No law abiding sailor should ever have to endure what these men have endured."

The Canadian military said the Kota Wajar was used by Somali pirates to kidnap British couple Paul and Rachel Chandler on Oct. 23. The couple had been sailing around the world in their yacht, the Lynn Rival when they were boarded by pirates. The couple was then taken to Somalia aboard the Kota Wajar, the Canadian military said.

The 24,637-tonne Kota Wajar was seized on Oct. 15 north of the Seychelles archipelago as it was sailing to the Kenyan port of Mombasa from Singapore.

Also Monday, Somali pirates hijacked a U.K.-flagged chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden.

Somalia has been mired in anarchy since 1991. The chaos onshore has allowed piracy to flourish in the busy shipping lanes linking Europe to Asia and pushed up insurance premiums.

The Somali-based gangs have made tens of millions of dollars from hijacking vessels and holding them until a ransom is paid, despite patrols by foreign navies.

The patrols have reduced the number of hijackings in the Gulf of Aden this year and pirates have instead seized vessels far into the Indian Ocean to maintain the lucrative business.

According to Ecoterra International, a group that monitors shipping off Somalia, at least 10 foreign vessels and 228 seafarers were being held close to the Horn of Africa nation.

With files from Reuters