Sea-Jacking of German-Owned MV Victoria Has Been Confirmed (PHOTOS)

Germany recalled its GSG-9 commando unit from the pirate-infested region over the weekend after deciding that attempting to storm another ship – the Hansa Stavanger – could have ended in a bloodbath.

Courtesy: slingables.com Photos of Eyl, Somalia are from Google Earth. You see the actual pirate boats on the beach in one photo, and the pirate base or "lair" located there.

(SOMALI COAST, Africa) - "At approximately 09:09 a.m. AST, the Maritime Administration of Antigua and Barbuda was advised that the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo vessel M/V Victoria had been hijacked by eight pirates in the Gulf of Aden whilst proceeding towards the Port of Jeddah in the Red Sea," the Antigua and Barbuda government said in a statement.

It added that the 7,767 gross ton, 146-metre general cargo vessel had a crew of ten and it was believed the hijacked vessel was being taken to the Somalian port of Eyl, a known pirate lair.

The statement gave no more details about the fate of the ship's crew, believed to be all Romanian, while a US Navy spokesman said on Wednesday the ship would have 11 Romanian crew members, but he had no information on the condition of the crew.

Lt. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the Bahrain-based US 5th Fleet, said the ship was seized on Tuesday in an area 75 miles south of Yemen.

Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarers Assistance Program said the crew are unhurt.

The Government of the Caribbean state said the vessel, which is managed by a German company, had been registered with the European Union anti-piracy flotilla operating in the region and was navigating in the recommended East-West corridor of the Gulf at the time of the hijacking.

The crew is covered by an ITF agreement through Kru Maritime SRL with the Romanian Seafarers' Free Union.

The 2004 built vessel is said to have been carrying 10,000 tonnes of rice, is owned by Victoria Schiffahrts Gmbh of Germany, managed by INTERSEE Schiffahrtsgesellschaft GmbH in Haren, Germany and insured by Sveriges Angfartys Assurans Forening (Swedish Club).

The German government recalled its GSG-9 commando unit from the pirate-infested region over the weekend after deciding that attempting to storm another ship – the Hansa Stavanger – could have ended in a bloodbath.

Some German politicians have since complained the government needs to improve cooperation between the military and the elite police unit to avoid bureaucratic delays in the future. An executive at INTERSEE confirmed the hijacking to Bloomberg but said he couldn’t make any further comment.

Other Pirate Updates

The Italian Navy prevented a pirate attack on an Italian-flagged tanker Tuesday in the Gulf of Aden, defense officials said.

ANSA reported the pirates fled as a military helicopter and the Italian frigate Maestrale approached. The ship, the 2004 built MT Neverland, owned by an Itakian company and managed from Monte Carlo, Monaco, was heading east toward India, carrying natural gas, the Italian news service reported.

The large crude-oil tanker with a gross-tonnage of 56,346 is said to not have been damaged and no one was hurt in the incident. Shortly after the Italian navy came to the assistance of the Greek-owned cargo vessel Michael S.

The Greek operator of the handymax bulk carrier MV Ariana, seized by pirates four days ago, has reported that it has been in contact with the captain of the ship.

The 24 crew on board are apparently in good health and the pirates have not been aggressive. The ship is being held near the Somali coast after its hijacking between the Seychelles and Madagascar.