Somali pirates arrested in South Korea: Report
SEOUL: Five Somali pirates were arrested on Sunday to be questioned over the hijacking of a South Korean chemical ship in the Arabian Sea and attempting a murder of the carrier's captain, local media reported.
South Korea's navy rescued all 21 crew members aboard the chemical carrier Samho Jewelry on January 21 and captured the five pirates alive. Eight other pirates were killed.
The five pirates, who the new agency said are at age between 19 and mid-20s, were flown to Busan, South Korea's southeastern port city, earlier in the day, to become the first pirates to stand trial in the country for seizing a South Korean vessel.
The Busan District Court issued warrants to arrest the five pirates that the South Korean police have asked for on charges of maritime robbery and attempted murder, Yonhap news reported.
Officials at the court and prosecutors' office in Busan were not immediately available for comment.
They are accused of hijacking the 11,500-tonne ship this month and firing at the captain during a rescue operation by South Korea's navy.
The captain of the ship was moved to a South Korean hospital for operation on Saturday and reportedly in a serious condition.
The five Somali pirates have denied any wrongdoings and blamed their dead colleagues.
They could face questioning for up to 30 days. A three-way translation process from Somali to English to Korean would make it difficult to question them, YTN news TV said.
South Korea's navy rescued all 21 crew members aboard the chemical carrier Samho Jewelry on January 21 and captured the five pirates alive. Eight other pirates were killed.
The five pirates, who the new agency said are at age between 19 and mid-20s, were flown to Busan, South Korea's southeastern port city, earlier in the day, to become the first pirates to stand trial in the country for seizing a South Korean vessel.
The Busan District Court issued warrants to arrest the five pirates that the South Korean police have asked for on charges of maritime robbery and attempted murder, Yonhap news reported.
Officials at the court and prosecutors' office in Busan were not immediately available for comment.
They are accused of hijacking the 11,500-tonne ship this month and firing at the captain during a rescue operation by South Korea's navy.
The captain of the ship was moved to a South Korean hospital for operation on Saturday and reportedly in a serious condition.
The five Somali pirates have denied any wrongdoings and blamed their dead colleagues.
They could face questioning for up to 30 days. A three-way translation process from Somali to English to Korean would make it difficult to question them, YTN news TV said.
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