A North Korean cargoship and 33 crew have been hijacked by Somali guards after the vessel was detained for dumping cement.
Dae San: hijacked by guards
A dozen soldiers were said to be involved in the seizure of the 15,200-dwt Dae San (built 1979) in the Puntland region on Tuesday night, government and naval sources told Reuters.
The ship was impounded and fined in November after ditching its cargo off the Puntland coast.
It was reported as held by the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF), 13 miles east of Bossaso.
It was now said to be at sea, its destination unknown.
A naval source at the port of Bosasso confirmed the claim.
"The government is preparing troops to rescue the ship," the source added.
The incident raises the worrying question for shipowners of which forces can be trusted as Somalia's regions try to rebuild stable administrations.
The vessel, operated by Korea Daesan Shipping of Pyongyang, had dumped the cement because it had been rejected by importers in Mogadishu, who claimed that it was wet and unusable.
Courtesy Tony Atkinson
Link: M.V. Browning 3