Pirates Demands $1.5 Mil. in Ransom for Korean Fishing Vessels

South Korea has pleaded for the release of its two vessels which were seized by pirates off Somalia's volatile coastline last week, the local daily Nation reported in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Seoul government has set up a task force in its embassy in Nairobi and has asked for Kenya's support for safe and early release of the kidnapped crew members.

Andrew Mwangura, who heads the Kenyan office of the Seafarers Assistance Programme said: "The pirates are demanding a ransom of $1.5 million which cannot be afforded by shipping the company. However we are told the crew members are safe even after running short of supplies which were sent by the owners."

He said: "It is very difficult to release a vessel without a ransom." The two vessels are anchored at Ras Assuad Port in Somalia.

Mwangura added that his organization has the mandate to help crew members from other countries.

The captain of one of the two ships, has notified the Seoul administration that all the 24 crewmen on board, including four Koreans, were safe and in good health, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

The rest of the crew comprises 10 Chinese, four Indonesians, three Vietnamese and three Indians.

Speaking to the Nation on phone from Tanzania, Mwangura said the pirates hijacked four vessels, including a cargo ship belonging to Denmark, a fishing vessel from Taiwan and two from South Korea which were flying the Tanzanian flag.

The Tanzanian registered Mabuno 1 and Mabuno 2, were seized on Tuesday, about 290 kilometers off Somalia, while sailing from Kenya's port of Mombasa to Yemen. The two deep - sea fishing boats are owned by South Korea's Daechang fishing company.

Meanwhile, pirates have now threatened to kill more crew members of a Taiwanese fishing vessel hijacked last month if they will not be paid ransom soon.

The Somali pirates took control, along with a group of armed hijackers, of the Taiwanese vessel in the middle of last month off the Somali coast. On June 2, they killed one of the crew members out of frustration after their attempts to negotiate a ransom hit a deadlock.