PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY
Wednesday 10th November, 2010
23.15 GMT - LONDON...UK AID WORKERS (INCLUDING 2 MAVI MARMARA SURVIVORS) HELD HOSTAGE ON GREEK-OWNED SHIP, AFTER SHIP OWNER ARGUES WITH EGYPTIAN BROKER
DERNA PORT, LIBYA
"Strofades IV" has broken its moorings, without port permission, and is heading out of Derna Harbour.
The rear door of the ship is half closed, with convoy vehicle B7 stuck on it precariously. It is extremely dangerous.
In the lower deck of the Ro-Ro (rollon rolloff) ship are held hostage:
3 Libyans - (2 port authority policemen, with Colonel Salahuddin Rashin, Manager of Derna Port)
1 Moroccan
1 Algerian
2 Irish
6 UK nationals
The violent Greek owner who is also its captain of "Strofades IV" has just disembarked (as at 22.50 GMT) through a side door of the ship, onto a speed boat. His speed boat has made for another cargo vessel in Derna the harbour - "Odin Finder".
None of our guys now know who is in charge of Strofades IV, or where it is destined to go.
The ship is empty, apart from the hostages and single convoy vehicle jammed in the doorway. It is making rapid headway to get out to sea.
The matter is a serious breach of every maritime law possible.
We have asked all relevant Embassies to supply urgent, immediate, consular assistance.
We are EXTREMELY concerned for the safety of all the nationals on board.
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Please can you spread the word, I will keep you all updated as and when I receive new information. Thank you.
Peace
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UPDATE
According to one of the hostages, they have been told the ship is heading towards Greece. Currently the 3 Libyan policemen are believed to be negotiating with the captain but they are refusing to alter course. The rear door of the vessel remains unsecured. Also, pressure is being put on Libya to stop the vessel. As of 3.05 GMT we remain very concerned for the safety of the vessel and hostages.
As of yet no major media outlet has run this story, please keep spreading the word.
Will keep you posted.
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UPDATE II
Sketchy reports coming from the vessel at the moment, but it is being said that 4 Libyan vessel supported by fighter jets are attempting to have the 13 hostages removed from the vessel and taken back to Libya. $75000 worth of donations that were on the vessel at the time have been secured but the captain appears to be trying to extort money in exchange for the hostages despite already have been paid $75000 for use of his ship. We have no contact with any of the hostages at this time since they are too far out to sea.
One again, the mainstreem media is refusing to cover this story, please continue to spread the word
As always, I'll keep you informed.
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UPDATE III
Still no direct contact but it is believed that the vessel is heading towards Crete. Libyan, British, Irish, Maltese and Greek authorities are working together to try and detain the captain who is believed to be unhappy about how he was being paid.
The media are finally picking up on the story, thank you to all of you who contacted your local media.
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We now have sporadic contact with the hostages via SMS. One reports that around 6 hours ago they commandeered a VHF radio and sent a distress message on channel 6 which was picked up by a NATO warship. They still believe they are heading towards Crete.
You can follow the vessel's progress here:
http://marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=215593000
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A few more details for you. To begin with it appears that there are more Libyans on the ship than previously stated three, 7 include customs inspectors, border police and the harbor manager for Derna Port. The Libyans are being treated better than the aid workers, seem to have separate cabins, have more freedom of movement and are in contact with Libyan authorities by radio and mobile phone. A full list of the other hostages is as follows:
Mustapha El-Guerbouzi (46) - UK National, resident in West London
Kieran L Turner (38) - UK National, resident in Liverpool
Raheal Parveez (25) - UK National, resident in North East London
Aziz Mekkati (43) - Algerian National, resident in Algeria
Yunus Malik (23) - UK National, resident in London
Nagib Elgarib Elbarrami (32) - UK National
David T Callander (35) - Irish National
Tauqir A Sharif (23)- UK National, resident in North East London
Kenneth O'Keefe (41)- Irish National
Khalid Mohamed Omar Ali (21) - UK National
It has been confrimed that the hostages did at one point manage to contact NATO warships, P492 and F452, via the tanker OCL Oakland. These warships promised assistance but none came for reasons unknown.
Ken O'Keefe added: "They said they would help, but no one has come to rescue us. That was some hours ago."
Kieran adds: "At first we were made to stay in the loading bay area at the rear of the ship, which was really dangerous once the ship got out to sea - the ship's loading door is still open at a 45degree angle! They didn't give us any life jackets. And that was when the weather was still calm. The weather is rough now - you can just imagine..."
Kieran further adds: "Initially we were stopped from moving around the ship and had to stay in the bottom of the lower deck. Eventually we just walked through to the crew quarters, and they've let us occupy their small smoking room. At least we are safe and in the dry, and it has a couch so we can try to sleep. We've been given one meal, of sorts, since the ship left Derna. We've got access to water, but it's not drinking water."
Ken O'Keefe has tried to talk to the Captain on a number of occasions. At first he succeeded in talking to him, but since then the captain has blanked him. Ken has also stated that it is everyone's intention not to let their mission fail and to return to Libya as soon as they can.
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