Somali pirates in the northern semi-autonomous region of Puntland have hijacked an Iranian vessel, Press TV has been informed. According to Press TV's correspondent, Somali pirates seized the Iranian vessel for illegal fishing carried out without the permission of the Puntland Administration. Meanwhile a maritime official at the East African Seafarers Assistance Program Andrew Mwangura told Reuters on Wednesday that the ship was reported as seized on Monday.
"I hear that the villagers have taken it because of fishing illegally or for damaging fishing equipment," Mwangura said. "Vigilantes usually move when you destroy their nets or boats and hold the ship until they are paid back."
The Iranian Foreign Ministry, however, has not yet confirmed the report, saying that it is still under investigation.
The report comes as earlier in November Somali pirates hijacked a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship, Delight, operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) in the Gulf of Aden.
Earlier in December, a member of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Parviz Sarvari warned that Iran is mulling over a military option against Somali pirates.
The French Indian Ocean joint forces top military commander Vice Admiral Gerard Valin has predicted great reduction in pirate attacks this year as international efforts have been stepped up to curb the attacks which threaten one of the world's most vital shipping routes. He said there had been 208 pirate attacks in the pirate-infested waters off the coast of Somalia, of which 43 had been successful in 2008.
"But since January 3 there have been only two successful attacks" he told reporters in Nairobi. "It's becoming more and more difficult for the pirates and we are becoming more and more efficient."