United Arab Emirates is to hold an anti-pirates conference on 18 April

The crew and Polish captain of a merchant ship captured by Somali pirates last Friday have been freed by a rescue action coordinated by the US and United Aran Emirates, confirms Poland’s foreign minister.

“Thanks to the intervention of a US ship and commandos from the United Arab Emirates, the crew are not only freed but the ship is back under control and the pirates have been captured,” Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski informed Monday afternoon.

The 37,000 tonne UAE-registered MV Arrilah was taken over by ten Somali pirates armed with AK-47s and rocket propelled grenades on Friday.

The pirates were later captured at the weekend by UAE counter-terrorism forces with support from the US Fifth Fleet.

"When I spoke with the Polish captain, the ship was sailing to a safe port in the hope of effecting repairs, and transferring the pirates into the arms of  justice. I hope they meet with harsh sentences," Minister Sikorski said today.  (pg)

source: PAP