By EILEEN NG, Associated Press Writer Thu Aug 21, 5:28 AM ET KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Armed pirates hijacked a Japanese-operated tanker and an Iranian ship off Somalia's coast Thursday, the latest in a series of attacks that have sent jitters among seafarers in an area known for its lawlessness. The hijackings came after a Malaysian palm oil tanker with 39 crew was seized in the same area late Tuesday. The latest attacks raised to six the number of ships hijacked in the Gulf of Aden since July 20.
In the first incident Thursday, pirates "continuously fired" on the Iranian bulk carrier before boarding and commandeering it, said Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau in Kuala Lumpur.
Less than an hour later, a Japanese-operated tanker with 19 crew was also attacked and seized in the same area.
He said there has been no communication so far with either vessel, but a multi-coalition naval force in the areas has been informed, and "is taking action." The naval force includes the United States, France, Germany, Pakistan, Britain and Canada, which currently holds the rotating command.
No other details were immediately available.
"In 48 hours, three ships have been attacked and hijacked by armed pirates. It is coming to a very dangerous stage," said Choong, who heads IMB's piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur. "We urge the United Nations and the international community to take serious action to stop this menace."
The IMB has also issued an urgent warning to all ships in the Gulf of Aden to maintain a strict watch.
The Gulf of Aden connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, forming one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
Choong said pirates seized a Japanese-owned cargo ship with 20 Filipino sailors on July 20 in the Gulf. A Nigerian vessel was later hijacked, followed by a Thai cargo ship with 28 crew members this month.
Negotiations were continuing in all cases after pirates demanded ransom for the release of the crew, he said. There were no negotiations in the Malaysian hijacking as the pirates have not contacted authorities to demand a ransom, he said.
Somalia is the world's biggest piracy hotspot, with 24 reported attacks in the first half of this year.
The impoverished country has not had a functioning government since 1991 and pirates armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers and automatic weapons frequently seize foreign vessels for ransom, making it difficult and expensive to deliver aid.
In June, the U.N. Security Council voted to allow international warships to enter Somali waters to combat the problem. But its 1,880-mile coastline — the longest in Africa — remains virtually unpoliced.
Ships have been urged to stay more than 200 nautical miles from the Somali coast, Choong said.
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Your are strongly required to navigate this area with extra caution.
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