Russians rescue crew held by pirates

MOSCOW - Russian special forces rappelled onto a disabled oil tanker taken over by Somali pirates, freeing 23 Russian sailors and arresting the pirates, the commander of the EU Naval Force said.

The raid against the Liberian-flagged ship Moscow University about 800km east of the Somali coast, came 24 hours after pirates had taken the ship over and the crew locked itself in a safe room. The vessel is carrying 86,000 tonnes of crude oil worth about US$50 million.

The special forces had been aboard the Russian anti-submarine destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov, which rushed to the scene after Wednesday's attack.

They boarded a helicopter and rappelled down to the Moscow University, Rear Admiral Jan Thornqvist, force commander of the EU Naval Force, said. Shots were fired during the raid but no one was injured.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Alexei Kuznetsov said the pirates are being held aboard the tanker.

The crew of the Moscow University had previously told officials they believed the pirates were trying to enter the engine room.

The ship had been disabled and was not moving. Safe rooms, where crews seek shelter, are typically stocked with food, water and communications equipment and have reinforced doors that can only be opened from the inside.

Commander John Harbour, a spokesman for the EU Naval Force, called the rescue an excellent operation all around. He said the EU Naval Force had been working at a tactical level with the Russians, and that EU Naval Force personnel talked to the Russian crew by VHF radio. He said the EU had offered support to the Russians.

The ship was not registered with the Maritime Security Centre, said Harbour.

The ship's route was from the Red Sea to China, the ship's owner said.

The ship is owned by Novoship, a subsidiary of Sovcomflot, which is owned by the Russian Government.

- AP