A tanker captured east of Socotra

(BRUSSELS2 )A tanker flying the flag of Liberia, the MV Polar, was captured on October 30 by pirates in the early hours of Saturday morning 580 miles (about 1100 km) east of the Socotra Islands confirms the European Union anti-piracy HQ in Northwood ( EUNAVFOR Atalanta). 24 sailors are on board the Mv Polar, a 72.825 ton tanker: 3 Greeks, 1 Romanian, 4 Montenegrins and 16 Filipinos.

The pirates also boarded another bulk carrier on October 30, a maritime source announced, a little further west, about 170 miles from Salalah, off the coast of Oman (280 miles south -is according to HQ "Atalanta"). Two days earlier not far from there, the pirates had captured a dhow, which could well serve as a mother ship in the area.

(updated 4/11) Tracked, the MV Polar was spotted on November 3 anchored off Hobyo, confirmed the HQ of Atalanta, in this city of Puntland which constitutes one of the pirate bases. According to Somali sources, relayed by the NGO Ecoterra, which is generally well informed about piracy, the MV Polar was hacked thanks to the presence in tandem of two ships previously in the hands of the pirates, in particular an Iranian fishing boat captured in the spring as well than the supertanker Shamho Dream which sailed together. Once the capture was made, the crew and the Iranian boat were released, and "compensated" for their "good services", a substantial sum according to Ecoterra.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)