Somali pirates still make no demands for release of Mt Gemini

Somali pirates still make no demands for release of Mt Gemini

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the Somali pirates who have also hijacked MT Gemini, a Singaporean commercial vessel also manned by 13 Indonesian sailors, haven`t made any demands for its release.

"The ship`s owner told the Singaporean government the pirates have not made any demands," Marty said after attending the ceremony for MV Sinar Kudus release task force welcomed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono here on Sunday.

Marty said according to the last contact between the pirates and the ship`s owner on Thursday (May 19), all the crew members including the 13 Indonesian sailors were alright.

Singapore-based Glory Ship Management which owns MT Gemini said the ship was hijacked on Saturday (April 30) while sailing to Mombassa port in Kenya. It said the crew included 13 Indonesians, five Chinese, four South Koreans and three Myanmarese.

When hijacked the ship was 192 miles from Dar es Salam, Tanzania.

Previously, Marty said, "There have been no reports about a demand for ransom because the contacts were between the ship`s owners and the pirates. So there must not be any misunderstanding. Whether it is an Indonesian or Singaporean ship, we give the same attention. We wish our fellow citizens could be released and our attention on the case is the same as when we dealt with a similar case," he said.

The Indonesian ship NV Sinar Kudus was also hijacked by Somali pirates, but the case was eventually settled and the ship and crew released.

In the meantime, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said on Monday that the government continued contacts with the Singaporean government for the release of MT Gamini. (*)
Editor: B Kunto Wibisono - Source: Antara News

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