Hijacked Dhow Faize Osamani Freed

The M/V Asian Glory put to sea on Friday Jan. 29 and headed south to rendezvous with suspected pirate groups in the Indian Ocean. On Saturday Jan. 30, she headed north and eventually made a rendezvous with the hijacked Dhow Faize Osamani.

The Faize Osamani was last reported leaving Karachi, bound for Mogadishu with a cargo of rice, on November 28, 2009. The ship’s Master, an all crew Indian crew of 14, reported to the owner that the ship had been hijacked on Jan. 6, 2010 off Kismayo on the Somali coast. The pirated Faize Osamani was spotted by EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) approximately 150 nautical miles North East of Socotra, off the Horn of Africa and appeared to be dead in the water.

At the rendezvous position, the Asian Glory remained close by until the pirates from the Faize Osamani transferred to Asian Glory after which she got under way and headed for the Somali coast. While EU NAVFOR MPA monitored the situation, a coalition force ship, HDMS Absalon of NATO TF 508 came to the assistance of the Faize Osamani and rendered medical and engineering assistance. After some small repairs and minor medical attention, the Faize Osamani proceeded on her voyage.

Asian Glory has arrived at the Somali coast once more and is thought to be anchored off the port of Garacad, north of Hobyo.