Somalia pirates threaten to kill all hostages and run ship down

The Somalia pirates who captured a ship of a Greek company with 15 Georgian and 3 Turkish citizens on board announced on November 16 that if they do not receive 15 million US dollars within three days, they will kill the hostages and sink the ship.

The Greek company FRIO VENTURES, which owns the ship, failed to agree on the sum of ransom. According to the company's spokesperson, pirates demand a huge sum of 15 million US dollars. On the eve - on November 15 - the owner of the company offered the ship itself as a ransom; however, the pirates refused, saying that the vessel is no value for them.

Nazi, wife of the ship captain Memed Zakaradze, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that in the evening on November 15 Memed telephoned to her and said that the hostages were OK and hoped to get at large soon. Pirates said that the Greek company was preparing a new proposal and maybe they would strike the deal. But on November 16 her husband called again and said that the deal failed, and they may be shot dead any moment. It turned out that morning the pirates staged an execution with one of the sailors.

Pirates keep sailors on the ship about a kilometre away from the shore. All the captives say about unbearable conditions and that they are starving and deprived of drinking water.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the pirates set the deadline of November 20. Then, if the ransom is not paid, they promise to start killing the hostages and then sink the ship.

After announcement of a possible execution of hostages, their families collectively appealed to Levan Varshalomidze, Chairman of the Government of Adzharia, asking for help in releasing the prisoners.

So far, the official authorities of Georgia made no statements about possible interference in redemption of the hostages.

See earlier reports: "Somalia pirates capture ship with Georgian citizen on board," "Georgia asks IMO for help in freeing captured sailors," "Relatives of Georgian sailors captured in Somalia hold protest in Batumi," "Pirates demand 15 million dollars for release of Georgian and Turkish citizens".