Boosaaso (PP Information Desk) — A Chinese language fishing vessel, Liaoning, with a crew of 18 which that was hijacked off the coast of Puntland State of Somalia in November final 12 months has lastly been launched at the moment after hijackers acquired a fee of ransom.
The vessel, owned by Liaoning Daping Fishery Group had a fishing licence issued by Puntland State of Somalia. Paperwork recovered from the trawler point out that the fishing licence expired in September 2024. Hijackers displayed a photograph of the vessel’s insurance coverage coverage certificates issued in 2022 and an invalid fishing licence. A 2022 submission to the US Division of Labor by Environmental Justice Basis corroborates the vessel’s historical past of fishing in Somali waters.
Unconfirmed stories point out that the hijackers acquired 20 p.c of the preliminary ransom demand of 10 million {dollars}. Puntland Fisheries Ministry has not confirmed the authenticity of the fishing licence issued to Liaoning.
Greater than 30 fishing vessels with licences issued by Puntland State authorities are believed to be concerned in unregulated fishing practices. Puntland Fisheries Ministry has by no means revealed information on the fishing licence charges paid by overseas fishing corporations. Each the Federal Authorities of Somalia and Puntland State authorities issued fishing licences to Chinese language corporations with out an settlement on catch recording pointers.
© Puntland Submit, 2025
