Libyan-owned North Korean cargo ship hijacked by Somali pirates

A North Korean cargo ship was hijacked by a group of Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden. It is unknown of the number of crew members on board.

The European Union Naval Force announced on Wednesday that a group of Somali pirates hijacked a North Korean cargo ship with an unknown number of crew members, according to Thaindian. The MV Rim was captured in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen and did not have any communications with maritime authorities. The USS Porter, an American warship, and a helicopter from American warship USS Farragut verified the seizure of the ship, which is owned by White Sea Shipping of Libya and is 4,800 tons. The ship was headed towards the Somali coast and warships were monitoring the situation, reports the Associated Press. The European Union Naval Forced issued a statement, reports AFP, and said, “There are no reports of the composition or nationalities of the M/V RIM (general cargo vessel) that has now altered course and is heading towards the Somali Basin.” On Tuesday, Greek police announced that Somali pirates released a Greek-owned cargo ship after a ransom was given, which is the biggest form of income for many Somalis.