I guess the goat meat and spaghetti didn't last near as long as they thought it would... If these are mere lowly fishermen as they claim, I wouldn't think food would be a problem. I guess it's tough to hold a fishing pole while your pointing a rocket launcher though!
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Food and water running out on Faina</b>
Yesterday, 17:47 | Interfax-Ukraine
Food and water running out on Faina
The situation on the Faina, a ship seized by Somali pirates, is critical, as reserves of water, food and fuel, including diesel fuel for the ship's generators, will last less than 30 hours, Channel 5 reported on Oct.22, with reference to Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner Nina Karpachova.
Karpachova is currently in Kenya neighboring Somalia, and she spoke with the vessel's crew on Tuesday, according to the channel.
She said that the situation on the Faina remains tense, however, the sailors are standing firm and their health is satisfactory.
"The Ukrainian authorities are now waiting for an answer from representatives of the parties involved in this conflict. They have been asked to render quick assistance to the Faina, in particular, to deliver water, food and diesel fuel," reads a channel statement.
Meanwhile, the Segodnia newspaper reported on Wednesday that those working for it had managed to contact one of the pirates by satellite phone. The pirate said that his leader Mohammed is now out and that he would not hand over the phone to the crew, adding that the ship's crew might soon die.
"Everything is very bad with the crew, there is no water and food on the ship," the newspaper quoted the pirate as saying in very bad English.
Another conversation, reads the statement, lasted longer.
"Tell everybody that the crew will die. Possibly, tomorrow," the pirate said.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Original story here :
<a href="http://www.kyivpost.com/nation/30509" target="_blank">http://www.kyivpost.com/nation/30509</a>
Wouldn't delivering fuel, food and water prolong this almost month long mess? A few hungry pirate bellies might bring a swifter resolution to this, one way or the other. It seems no one has the will to try and end this by force. I find it pretty sad that the only people willing to use any kind of force to end these hostage situations are the French and the Somalians themselves! The families of the sailors being held scraped together the 8 Million dollar ransom, but it looks like red tape and government bureaucracies are keeping them from making that payment.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b> Relatives raise money for seized Ukrainian ship</b>
www.chinaview.cn 2008-10-19 18:58:56
By Daniel Ooko
NAIROBI, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Relatives and families of the hijacked Ukrainian ship have raised money to pay Somali pirates who are demanding eight million U.S. dollars to release the crew who were seized last month, a regional maritime official said on Sunday.
Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Program said the relatives and friends in Russian and Ukraine have raised eight million dollar ransom which is expected to be handed over to the pirates sometimes this week.
"Friends and relatives of the 17 Ukrainian crew members of the ill-fated MV Faina have collected money for ransom," Mwangura told Xinhua by telephone on Sunday.
"Most of the money had come from leading politicians including the former Ukraine Prime Minister Viktor Yamukovyeh," he said.
The development, however, contradicts the position taken by the Kenyan government which has maintained that it will not pay ransom, arguing that such move would encourage the continuation of such acts.
Last week, Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetangula said he was confident that the pirates will not carry the threat to blow the ship. The minister also said the economies of countries along the Indian Ocean shoreline have been seriously affected by piracy.
He urged the international community to urgently assist in patrolling the unsafe waters near Somalia which has been without a proper government for decades.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Rest of the story here :
<a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/19/content_10219211.htm" target="_blank">http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/...nt_10219211.htm</a>
:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> Air pirates are somewhat less common. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
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