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A Fiji citizen is currently being held hostage by Somali pirates, when his ship was hijacked about two months ago.
FBCL News reports that Rotuman native Wayne Suliana, 31, was held hostage along with Tuvaluan nationals as crew members of the Tuvaluan registered ship - “HANSA” since March.
His mum, 57-year old Va Mausio, reportedly said she receives regular updates from her son on the negotiations with the pirates.
According to Mausio the crew were caught by the pirates in the Somali waters but she has been told not to worry.
She also reportedly said that while they are all well, there is a $15 million ransom to be paid.
Mausio added that while her son sounded well on the telephone, he is normally given only five-minutes to talk with her.
It’s understood that the ransom money will be paid by the company that hired the crew.
Va Mausio last saw her last September when he left for Nadi to fly abroad to board the “HANSA”.
According to the website, www.prlog.org, piracy doubled in 2008, with 111 Somali attacks reported.
“These accounted for one third of all piracy around the globe. It is estimated the pirates have collected millions of dollars in ransom last year.
“These they significantly invested in improving their equipment. The pirates now concentrate on targeting container ships,” the website reported.
“It is thought that more Somali clans who were not involved in the piracy before, are now adding to the ‘gold rush’,” it added.
Somalia is situated in the strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Cana.
It is located on the east coast of Africa.
It is bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya on its southwest, the Gulf of Aden with Yemen on its north, the Indian Ocean at its east, and Ethiopia to the west.
It has the longest coastline in Africa.
