Pirates seize Yemeni ship off Socotra

HADRAMOUT, Nov. 25 (Saba) - Pirates in the Arabian Sea have captured
a Yemeni cargo ship carrying 517 tons of steel destined for the
island of Socotra.

The security forces in Hadramout said they had received a note that
Somali pirates hijacked a ship, Adena, en route to the island and
that the pirates took the ship to the Somali coast.

The ship cargo was set to have arrived in the island on 20
November.

Some sailors in the area were quoted as saying that they saw
pirates hijacking the ship.

Somali pirates seized last week a Saudi oil vessel and took it to a
Somali seaport. Negotiations are ongoing to release the vessel
carrying 2 million barrels of oil worth $ 100 million.

The pirates have lowered their ransom demand to $ 15 million.

Earlier they demanded $ 25 million and that they would not accept
long-term negotiations, threatening if their demand was not met,
the vessel would be in danger.

Piracy has recently soared off Somalia's coast with about 39 ships
hijacked this year.
FR