Friday, January 21, 2011
South Korean Navy Special Forces stormed the seized Samho Jewelry on Friday, killing eight Somali pirates and freeing the 21-man crew held hostage since last week.
According to South Korea’s military, the operation, which was carried out early dawn about 1,300 kilometers off the coast of Somalia, also captured five Somali pirates.
“We will not tolerate any behavior that threatens the lives and safety of our people in the future,” South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said in a statement aired on local television.
“This operation demonstrated our government’s strong will that we won’t tolerate illegal activities by pirates anymore,” Lieutenant-General Lee Sung-Ho of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a press event.
The crew which consisted of eight South Koreans, two Indonesians and 11 Myanmar nationals were reported to be all safe.
The captain of the ship was reportedly shot in the stomach by a pirate during the siege but suffered no life threatening wounds.
Last year, another ship of Samho Shipping, the Samho Dream, was seized by Somali pirates. The ship was released after company paid what is believed to be a record $9 million ransom.
Source: Seer Press News
