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Somali Pirates Hijack Ship with 24 Crew

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Somali pirates have hijacked another ship, this time a Liberian-owned bulk cargo vessel with 24 crew members.

The European Union’s anti-piracy force says pirates attacked the MV Renuar Saturday in the Indian Ocean.  It says the Renuar tried to escape the attack, but that pirates seized control after firing small arms and rocket-propelled grenades at the vessel.

The EU force says the ship was hijacked at a spot closer to India than to Somalia, about 2,000 kilometers east of the Somali coast.

On Saturday, the pirates released a Greek-owned bulk carrier, the MV Eleni,  seven months after hijacking the ship off the coast of Oman.  The ship has a crew of 23, including 19 Filipinos, two Greeks, one Ukrainian and one Russian.

The attack on the Renuar was the second Somali pirate attack near India in a week.  Last Sunday, pirates hijacked a Bangladeshi-flagged bulk carrier less than 600 kilometers from the Indian coast.

The Bangladeshi ship was confirmed to be in Somali waters on Saturday.  The Renuar is said to be heading west toward Somalia.

The ship was traveling from the United Arab Emirates to Mauritius when hijacked.  All 24 crew members are Filipinos.  Their condition is unknown.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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