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Somali Pirates Seize 3 More Ships
High-profile hostage rescues fail to prevent fresh hijackings
By Rob Quinn
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Posted Apr 14, 09 5:59 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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Somali pirates have seized another three ships in the Gulf of Aden, the AP reports. Two Egyptian fishing boats were hijacked yesterday and a Greek-owned freighter with at least 20 crew on board was seized before dawn today by pirates evidently undeterred by the recent standoff with the US Navy. The freighter reported a suspicious vessel but received no response on emergency channels, according to a security contractor.
The nighttime attack on the freighter shows that the pirates are acquiring more advanced technology with the spoils of earlier hijackings, analysts said. President Obama vowed to "halt the rise of piracy" at a news conference yesterday. Military officials say options on the table include sending more US Navy gunships to patrol Somalia's coast and taking steps to disable pirate "mother ships."