Somali pirates seize Greek vessel and Two Egyptian boats

Only a few days after French and US maritime forces shot and killed several Somali pirates as they held an American captain captive after attacking his ship, another freighter named MV Irene carrying 22 crew members has been seized in the Gulf of Aden. The freighter is a 35 000 tonne Greek-owned vessel. Yesterday, two Egyptian fishing vessels with a combined crew of between 18 and 24 were seized off the coast of Somaliland, a northern breakaway region of Somalia, until now considered among the safest areas within the pirate infested region. Somaliland proclaimed its independence from Somalia in 1991.