Published Date:
21 December 2008
STATE radio says Iran has sent a warship to the coast of Somalia to protect its cargo ships against piracy.
The Iranian ship has joined vessels from the US, Denmark, Italy, Russia and other countries in patrolling the Gulf of Aden, which leads to the Suez Canal and is the quickest route from Asia to Europe and the Americas.
In November, a cargo ship operated by Iran was hijacked off the coast of Somalia, the second since July. The ship, with 25 crew members, was carrying 36,000 tons of wheat and was heading for the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. In October, pirates freed 29 Iranian seamen from the earlier hijacking after Iran paid a ransom for them.
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Last Updated:
20 December 2008 8:27 PM
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Source:
Scotland On Sunday
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Location:
Scotland
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Related Topics:
Iran
