Prometheus 6

Hijacked Supertanker Drops Anchor
By ROBERT F. WORTH and MARK McDONALD

JIDDA, Saudi Arabia — A hijacked Saudi-owned supertanker carrying more than $100 million worth of crude oil is believed to have anchored off Somalia and its owners are working toward “the safe and speedy return” of the 25 crew, the owners said Tuesday.

A statement from Vela International, a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabia-based oil giant Saudi Aramco, said the company was “awaiting further contact from the pirates in control of the vessel” who seized it some 480 miles off the coast of Somalia. Earlier reports said the 1,080-foot supertanker, the Sirius Star, had been hijacked off the Kenyan coast.

The statement did not say specifically that negotiations with the hijackers had started. The supertanker, about the same length as an American Nimitz class aircraft carrier, is the largest ship known to have been seized by pirates.

The statement from Vela International, issued in Dubai, quoted the company’s president and chief executive, Salah B. Ka’aki, as saying the company’s “first and foremost priority is ensuring the safety of the crew. We are in communication with their families and are working toward their safe and speedy return." The crew is composed of 2 British, 2 Polish, 1 Croatian, 1 Saudi and 19 Filipino nationals.

“Vela continues to monitor the situation and coordinate with the relevant embassies. At this time, Vela is awaiting further contact from the pirates in control of the vessel,” the statement said.