Mizzima News

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Negotiations are underway for the release of the Singapore company owned merchant vessel with a Burmese marine engineer on board being held captive by Somali pirates, sources among Burmese sailors said.

There are 21 sailors on board the ‘Pacific International Line’ (PIL) owned MV Kota Wajar. The resident representative of Burma and the Singapore Government are negotiating with intermediaries of Somali pirates in Singapore, it is learnt.

"There is no need to worry about them. The company will do everything for them and the sailors in captivity will be paid compensation,” Managing Director of Leader Marine Co. Ltd Htay Aung told Mizzima.

A staff member from the PIL office in Rangoon also said that the PIL resident representative in Rangoon left for Singapore today.

After departure from Singapore, the container ship was seized by Somali pirates on October 15 near the Bay of Aden. The pirates demanded a ransom of USD 8 million.

Similarly the South Korean company owned MV Bright Ruby, with 14 Burmese sailors onboard, was seized by pirates in September this year. They were released from captivity later.

Bay of Aden is situated between Yemen and the East African country of Somali. This is a vital sea lane connecting the eastern and western parts of the world through the Suez Canal.

Over 20,000 sea-going vessels cross this sea lane annually and the pirates earn over USD 150 million a year from piracy, observers estimated.