Two Romanian Sailors Aboard UK-Flagged Tanker Captured By Somali Pirates

The other sailors that make up the captured ship’s 26-strong crew are from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Bulgaria, the Philippines, Poland, India and Turkey.

St. James Park, a chemical tanker, had left Spain and was heading for Thailand when it was captured by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden. A European Union Naval Force spokesperson said the ship was seized while traveling through the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). The Corridor is patrolled by international navies and was set up in February 2009 in order to protect ships going through the Gulf of Aden.

Noel Choong, who heads the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur, said the St. James Park tanker issued a distress message late Monday, seeking help after it was attacked by pirates. He added that the distress call was picked up by a Greek rescue and coordination center which in turn relayed the message to the International Maritime Bureau, which was unable to make contact with the seized ship.

The tanker’s owners, cited by British daily The Independent, said Tuesday they have had no direct contact with the ship since the hijacking.