A Chinese freighter released by the Iranian navy. Another freighter released in early April
(B2) A Chinese freighter, flying the Panamanian flag, the Xianghuamen, was captured on Friday (April 6), in the early morning, near the Iranian coast (about 13 miles away), near the port of Chabahar (at 25° North and 57° East). The captain gave the alert. And the 28 crewmen (all Chinese) took refuge in the "citadel" of the ship. But the pirates managed to take some sailors hostage. Despite an express request from the captain to the Iranian navy not to attempt anything by force, the latter launched the assault, apparently at Beijing's request. Several exchanges of fire took place between the military and the pirates. The 28 sailors were released and 9 pirates arrested. The Chinese Foreign Minister sent a congratulatory telegram to his Iranian counterpart on Sunday (April 8), thanking him for his intervention and explaining that greater cooperation between the two countries could be developed to fight against piracy.
Iranian navy forcibly releases cargo ship
The MV Eglantine, an Iranian freighter flying the Bolivian flag carrying sugar from Brazil to Iran, was captured in the Indian Ocean by the pirates on March 26. It took 48 hours of "intensive fire" according to the official Fars agency to overcome the attackers in early April. 13 pirates were arrested.
