Somali pirates hijack Danish family
SHIPPING: A Danish yacht with 7 people on board, including three children, has been hijacked by Somali pirates on February 24 in the Indian Ocean. The yacht is now on its way to Somalia, tailed by the Danish warship Esbern Snare.
“This is a very difficult situation for everyone and particularly the relatives. Not least because children are involved“, says Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Charlotte Slente
The seven people onboard the yacht are all Danes. A family of five - parents and three children aged 12 to 16, and two crew members.
The ship sent a distress signal on Thursday, and the Admiral Fleet Denmark immediately began an investigation. Since then it has been confirmed, that the vessel is hijacked by pirates and is on its way to the Somali coast.
"It is almost unbearable to think that there are children involved, and I can only sharply denounce the pirates' actions", Danish Foreign Minister Lene Espersen says in a statement.
She says the Danish government is deeply concerned about the situation, and that government officials will do everything in their power to help the Danes.
Source: maritimedanmark.dk