Somalia-China: “Pirates are expanding their operations”

The hijacking of a Chinese ship carrying coal across the Indian Ocean shows that Somali pirates are expanding their reach beyond the Gulf of Aden, Chinese shippers said. According to the European Union’s counter-piracy force, The De Xin Hai was carrying about 76 000 tones of coal from South Africa to India, when it was hijacked about 700 nautical miles off the East coast of Somalia on Monday. Pirates said the ship could be brought to Haradheere, a pirate stronghold or Hobyo. This is the first reported attack on a Chinese merchant ship in the Indian Ocean., writes IOL.