Cruise-Ship Outfit Flies Passengers Around Pirates

Liner picks them up in Oman to continue month-long journey
By Ambreen Ali,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 9, 2008 3:10 PM CST
Cruise-Ship Outfit Flies Passengers Around Pirates
The MV Ibn Batouta offloaded its shipment in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Sunday. The cargo ship was escorted by a warship to prevent any pirate attacks.   (AP Photo)

Passengers will evacuate a German cruise liner and fly over the troubled waters off Somalia’s pirate-infested coast to avoid being the next victims of a maritime attack, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Hapag-Lloyd ship, slated to reach Yemen today, will travel empty through the Gulf of Aden and pick 246 travelers back up in Oman.

Germany issued a travel advisory as the European Union’s armada readied a defense against the pirates, who recently switched from attacking cargo vessels to cruise ships. An American cruise line confirmed a failed attack by pirates earlier this month. To avoid a similar incident, Hapag-Lloyd will have its passengers spend three days in Dubai before putting them back aboard. (More pirates stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X