Three men who jumped off their ship to escape from Somali pirates in
the Gulf of Aden have been identified as the vessel's security guards.
But their employer is defending their actions.
The British-based
security company AntiPiracy Maritime Security Solutions (APMSS) says
the three men were not armed, and fled the Liberian-flagged chemical
tanker Biscaglia on Friday only after mounting a "sustained" effort to
repel the attackers.
The company's director, Nick Davis, says
the guards used a device that can direct painful noise at a target to
briefly hold off about five pirates in a speedboat. He says that gave
the Biscaglia's crew time to call for help. He also says the pirates
tried to kill the guards even after they had jumped into the water.
The Biscaglia's crew of about 27 Indians and Bangladeshis are still being held hostage.
After
the Biscaglia called for help, a nearby warship sent a helicopter to
intervene. It arrived after pirates seized the ship, but rescued the
three guards.
They have since been transferred to a French naval vessel, and are said to be doing well.
Somalia
pirates are holding about 15 ships, including a Saudi tanker carrying
$100 million worth of oil. Pirates are demanding $15 million for the
tanker.
An international coalition of warships patrols the area off Somalia to prevent hijackings.
Pirates based in Somalia have made the waters off East Africa some of the most dangerous in the world.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
