Crew Of Hijacked Ship Regain Control From Somali Pirates, Romanian Sailor Injured

According to Onaca, a conflict between crew and pirates took place Wednesday morning, after a person arrived on board the ship with provisions. During the conflict, the crew shot and killed all pirates but one and regained control of the ship. Cretu, the only Romanian crew member on board, received a severe hip injury.

European Union Naval Force Somalia, or NAVFOR, issued a press release Wednesday, which confirms the incident, which took place off Somalia’s northern coastline. The closest EU NAVFOR warship, the Spanish Victoria, met up with the RIM and sent its helicopter to the scene to provide medical assistance.

NAVFOR also informs that, at the time of the incident, a second ship under pirate control, merchant vessel Daisy, tried to impede the rescue operation. However, when Victoria’s helicopter approached, the Daisy changed her course.

According to Onaca, Cretu took charge of steering the RIM after the clash with the pirates, as he waited to be transported on board the Victoria for medical assistance.

The incident was also confirmed Wednesday by Romania’s Foreign Ministry and by the head of the country’s navigators’ union, Adrian Mihalcioiu.

Cretu’s girlfriend, Mariana Andrei, said the crew member personally informed her of the incident shortly after it happened, and called on Romanian authorities to urgently intervene.

According to Andrei, Cretu had told her in late May that the pirates would kill him if they did not receive $400,000. Mihalcioiu said that the vessel’s Lybian owners had raised about $300,000 for the pirates, but could not find a way of relaying the money to the pirates.

Late February, Andrei called on Romanian authorities to intervene, as Somali pirates had allegedly threatened to kill their hostages. At the time, representatives of Romania’s Foreign Ministry told MEDIAFAX that they were monitoring the ship’s situation and receiving updates on the matter from the ship’s owner.

Late March, the Somali pirates asked for $3 million for the release of the MV RIM, manned by ten Libyans and one Romanian, and stated they would kill the crew if their demands are not met.

The 4,800-ton MV Rim ship is owned by White Sea Shipping, based in Libya, but sails under a North Korean flag. It was hijacked by Somali pirates off the Gulf of Aden on February 2, 2010.