Somali pirates holding the Dubai cargo ship MV Iceberg 1 have threatened to kill all hostages if the $8 million ransom money they previously demanded are not paid immediately, reports say.
MV Iceberg 1 was hijacked by Somali pirates on March 29th 2010 while sailing in the Gulf of Aden en route for the Jebel Ali Port carrying mechanical instruments.
The ship carried a crew including people from several countries. Two Pakistanis and six Indians were among the hostages.
Pirates later demanded 8 million dollars in exchange for the release of the ship along with crew.
The chief engineer of the ship had committed a suicide after it was hijacked by the Somali pirates.
Francis Koomson, who is one of four Ghanaians being held on the MV Iceberg 1 off the Somali coast, appealed to his government to come to his aid and secure his release.
Ghanaian foreign minister Alhajji Mohamuud Mumuni said his government will try all means to secure the release of its compatriots but ruled out paying any ransom.
Just recently, the UN Security Council called on its member states to make piracy a crime as the problem surges in Somalia.
In its resolution, the 15-member body urged countries that have not already done so to criminalise piracy under their domestic laws and to implement prosecution methods in accordance with international human rights law.
The resolution calls for international cooperation in sharing information for the purpose of law enforcement and effective prosecution.
It calls for prosecution of those who illicitly plan, organize, facilitate, or finance and profit from such attacks.
The resolution recognizes the increasing scope of piracy beyond the coast of Somalia, which affects not only the states in the region but also those far beyond.
The resolution also emphasized the need to establish specialized anti-piracy courts in Somalia and other countries in the region.
Source: SUNA TIMES
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