ZAGREB, May 20 (Hina) - The Croatian foreign ministry confirmed Tuesday that a crew of seven Croatians was aboard a ship which was hijacked in Liberian waters last Sunday. The ministry said it was "doing everything in its power to see
the hijacking end peacefully and the Croatian seamen be safe". The ship will allegedly soon be released.
ZAGREB, May 20 (Hina) - The Croatian foreign ministry confirmed
Tuesday that a crew of seven Croatians was aboard a ship which was
hijacked in Liberian waters last Sunday. The ministry said it was
"doing everything in its power to see the hijacking end peacefully
and the Croatian seamen be safe". The ship will allegedly soon be
released. #L#
Some thirty Liberian soldiers hijacked the "Benty" merchant ship
off the Liberian coast on Sunday, the Jutarnji list daily wrote
today.
The hijackers forced the crew to sail into Harper Harbour, where
some 1,000 refugees climbed aboard, mostly women and children who
were running from areas most affected by the Liberian civil war. the
crew was then directed towards the capital, Monrovia, Jutarnji list
writes.
The ministry said that the ship was sailing under the St. Vincent
and the Grenadin flag.
Antonio Vegan, a representative of Zagreb's Marin Consult company
which acts as a middleman in employing Croatian seamen, told Hina
Tuesday that the "Benty" was at anchorage off Monrovia and should be
released soon.
Vegan added that the Croatian crew had not been abused or put in
harm's way.
(hina) lml sb