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eLert Library >> Recreation >> Boating

The company which owns Sirius Star is hoping for contact with the pirates in control of the supertanker, it has been reported.

It comes amid other reports that another ship - a Greek bulk carrier - has been hijacked by Somali pirates.

According to a regional maritime group the latest ship was seized in the Gulf of Aden.

Yesterday, an Iranian bulk cargo carrier with 25 crew members was seized and a Thai fishing boat with 16 crew was hijacked off the coast of Somalia.

The Indian navy also says it destroyed a pirate boat after a brief battle in the same area.

The Sirius Star is now anchored at a port in Somalia, about 450 nautical miles from the point where it was seized at the weekend.

There has been no word yet on the 25 crew - which includes two Britons - although all are reported to be unharmed.

The surge in pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden - which is a key shipping lane for the Suez Canal - has prompted one major shipping group to divert its vessels.

Norwegian Odfjell SE group has instructed more than 90 of its tankers to sail around Africa, rather than use the Suez Canal.

Nato has four ships in the area from Britain, Greece, Italy and Turkey, working to protect United Nations aid convoys.

The organisation is supposed to handover to an EU team next month, although may now extend its anti-piracy operation in light of recent events.

Nato defence chiefs are meeting in Brussels today and anti-piracy efforts are expected to be on the agenda.