Canadian destroyer helps save Italian freighter from Somali pirates

The number of pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia has skyrocketed since early this year. Marine officials say the country's factional leaders are increasingly turning to piracy to make more money, most likely to purchase arms.

The hijackers also demanded that the boat's Mombasa-based agent Motaku Shipping Agency pay $500,000 for the release of the ship and crew. Director Karim Kudrati tells VOA his company paid a ransom, but would not disclose the exact amount for security reasons.

The attack on the M.V. Semlow is one of at least 28 piracy incidents that have occurred off Somalia's coast since March of this year, according to the International Maritime Bureau, with many companies paying ransom to get their ships, crews, and cargoes back safely.

"This I can guarantee you. Government has no interest [in piracy] at all," he said. "We are just like day and night. Our goal is just how to stabilize this country rather than just, like, look at the dirty business like hijacking or whatever. It is very untrue - honestly."

The Somali government argues that it lacks the resources and organization to crack down on piracy, and has called for the international community to do so.

Calgary and Protecteur, which have been on a 196 day, 40,000 nautical mile around-the-world journey that began in April and has involved transits of the Panama and Suez Canals, are now taking part in a brief exercise with the Indian Navy in the Bay of Bengal near the port of Chennai (Madras). The frigate and the supply ship will also visit Thailand, Malaysia and Korea on their way back home.