Pirates Seize British, Singaporean Ships

The British cargo ship Asian Glory and the Singaporean chemical tanker Pramoni were both seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia on Saturday, bringing the number of ships hijacked by pirates since Monday to four. According to reports, the crews of both ships are safe, but contact has not yet been made with the pirates. The Asian Glory was headed toward an internationally recognized corridor and the Pramoni was traveling east toward India when they were captured. The two vessels join the St. James Park (owned by the same company as the Asian Glory) and a Panamian ship among pirate-seized vessels, highlighting the difficulty the global community has had warding off pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia.