China rejects hijacking, claims ship is safe
Beijing, China (AHN) – Chinese authorities have brushed off speculations that Somali pirates hijacked one of its ships off Yemen coast.
Responding to Yemeni Interior Ministry’s claims that the pirates abducted the ship 20km from Yemeni island of Al-Tair off the city port of al-Hudaida and were heading it towards the Somali coast, Chinese authorities said that their ship was safe and under Chinese anti-piracy navy fleet protection.
China Maritime Search and Rescue Center (MSA) has denied capture of the Chinese-flagged ship by possible pirates. In a statement to Xinhua news agency, the MSA has said that all its 22-member crew along with Hong Kong registered “Tien Hau” ship were safe.
An MSA official confirmed reports that a suspicious boat followed the ship for quite some time, but poured cold water on reports of attack or hijack.
He added that the center made the statement about their safety only after contacting the vessel. China, India and several other nations have reportedly deployed naval ships’ fleet to protect their cruise ships from pirates in the Gulf of Eden.
Previously, the Xinhua news agency has also confirmed the hijacking incident.
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