Ship and Crew Missing in Somali Waters

A UAE ship with 14 Indian sailors has been reported missing in Somali waters. Japan responding by sending two warships to protect shipping. EU and US patrols reducing attacks.

The M/V JAIKUR II, owned by Al Rashid Shipping Dubai, has gone missing near Kenya. A Kenyan maritime official said the agency feared the ship has been seized by pirates. The latest hijacking was the January 29th seizure of the German gas tanker MV LONGCHAMP in the Gulf of Aden with a crew of 13 aboard. Recently, a cargo ship radioed it was under threat and within minutes an armed helicopter raced to the scene and aimed its weapons at the pirates before they could get on board. In December, a warship arrested 57 pirates.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government is dispatching two destroyers to protect commercial shipping against pirates in the Gulf of Aden, as well as sending a fact-finding mission to the region. However, Japan also made it clear its warships are being sent to protect Japanese ships only. The destroyers, SAZANAMI (4,650 tons) and the SAMIDARE (4,550 tons), could be deployed as early as March 2009. Each ship has a helicopter aboard.

Opposition lawmakers have criticized the plans, saying it could draw the country into military operations prohibited by its pacifist constitution. Japan's post-World War II charter limits its military to conducting defensive operations.

After 165 attempted hijacks last year in the Gulf of Aden, the presence of Alliance warships from various countries has reduced attacks to only 17 this year. The EU arrested 36 pirates in January. Naval commanders say that the huge Somalia base of pirates are responsible for seizing 43 vessels including tankers and super yachts in 2008.