Somalia

Pirates drop cash demand

Pirates who are holding hostage a general cargoship's crew off Somalia are said to have dropped their demand for $500.000.

News bureau Reuters reports that the Somalian pirates would now settle for the rice that Japan and Germany had donated to Somalian tsunami victims through the World Food Programme.

However, they are apparently unable to bring the ship into port.

The victimised ship, the 700-dwt general cargoship Semlow (built 1971), is carrying a cargo of rice 150 tones greater than the deadweight tonnage listed in reference sources. It was hijacked on 27 June by Somali gunmen on its way to the northern port of Bossasso.

The crew consists of eight Kenyan seamen, a Sri Lankan master and a Tanzanian engineer.

Reuters cites Karim Kudrati, director of Mombasa-based Motaku Shipping Agency, which charted the Semlow, as its source for the changed demanded.

"They first demanded ransom but now they want the food, "Kudrati said. "I don't think they can now offload the consignment because the vessel is still at sea and the weather is not good."

On Monday a hijacker identified as Mohamed Abdi Hassan told Reuters that the eight Kenyans would be released after talks with Kenya's ambassador to Somalia. The ambassador has since declined to comment.

By Bob Rush in Oslo