The United Nation’s mission in Somalia on Friday released a statement saying a yacht identified as the S/V Quest with four U.S. citizens onboard, had been hijacked by suspected Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.
The First Secretary of the mission Omar Jamal called for the release of all hostages captured by Somali pirates. He expressed “serious concerns” over the timing of this hijacking—as this follows the 33 years imprisonment verdict handed over to a Somali pirate earlier this week. Pirate Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse was sentenced at a New-York court for kidnapping and killing captain of a US merchant ship back in 2009 in the same area.
According to a website recording the entire journey of S/V Quest, said that it belonged to couple Scott and Jean Adam—sailing around the world since 2004, for a period that ”planned to be an eight or ten year voyage.” Adams had been distributing Bibles to churches and schools in the remotest and impoverished areas of Alaska, Fiji, New Zealand and French Polynesia. Reportedly the Adams were members of California based Marina del Rey Yacht Club, but confirmation from the Club is yet to come.
In a separate incident on Friday, the EU’s anti-piracy task force released a statement saying the Somali pirates had also hijacked another merchant vessel Alfardous in the Gulf of Aden. Though much information about this vessel has not been received, reportedly it contains eight crew members of varying nationalities.
Interpol on Friday said they would aid the African nations in controlling piracy off the Somalia coast—a project estimated to cost about $2.17 million.
The menace of piracy off the coast of Somalia is on the rise, ever since the instability began without any functioning Central Government since 1991 Civil War. Estimated figures suggest at present, that 29 ships are being held in captivity, with 660 hostages onboard somewhere in Somalia coast.
[...] The news of the deaths of four Americans brought the Somali pirate issue back to the forefront, where they haven’t been since around April 2009. Nearly two years ago, US Navy snipers shot three pirates and rescued Captain Richard Phillips of the Maersk Alabama. This time, it was a small yacht owned by Jean and Scott Adam, who were sailing the world and handing out Bibles. It’s estimated that Somali pirates currently hold around 29 ships and 660 hostages. [...]