By Somalilandtimes network

NAIROBI, March 31, 2006 – Somali gunmen have hijacked a giant fuel tanker in north of capital Mogadishu, Kenyan maritime official confirmed here on Friday.

The Panamanian-flagged MT Lombigo had just off-loaded a cargo of fuel and left El Ade port of Somalia when it was hijacked in the pirate-infested waters off the coast of Somalia on Wednesday, said Andrew Mwangura, the coordinator of Kenya's Seafarers Association.

"The details are still sketchy but we can confirm that the pirates hijacked a Panama flagged oil tanker MT Lombigo off the east coast of Somalia on Wednesday," Mwangura said by telephone from port city of Mombassa.

Piracy has become an epidemic in the un-patrolled waters off the coast of Somalia where at least 40 hijackings and attempted seizures have been recorded since mid March last year.

The Horn of African nation has no coast guard to protect vessels, but the United States navy earlier this month returned fire on a suspected pirate ship, killing one and wounding five while on patrol.

The country fell into anarchy after Mohamed Siyad Barre, the last ruler, was ousted in 1991.

Source: Xinhua