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Somali pirates seize Indonesian chemical tanker

Updated at: 0231 PST, Saturday, January 02, 2010
NAIROBI: Somali pirates seized an Indonesian chemical tanker Friday with 24 crew members in the Gulf of Aden, a maritime watchdog reported.

The Singapore-flagged Premoni was captured while en route to India -- the third vessel since August to be taken in the region patrolled by foreign navies -- said Andrew Mwangura of the East Africa Seafarers Assistance Programme.

It also marked the first attack this year. Among the crew are 17 Indonesians, five Chinese nationals, a Nigerian and a Vietnamese, said Mwangura, adding that the sailors were safe.

On Monday, pirates seized the St James Park, a UK-flagged chemical tanker with a crew of 26 from nine different countries, while Yemeni authorities said the same day that a Yemeni freighter with 15 crew members had also been taken.

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