Pirates attack ship carrying food aid for World Vision

A second ship carrying donated food to Rwanda was attacked last week by pirates off the coast of Somalia.

“We’re relieved that no one was hurt in this attack and that the ship was able to continue to its destination,” reported World Vision spokesperson Amy Parodi, whose organisation planned to use the donated food for development programs in Rwanda.

“This food is critical to our efforts in Rwanda,” she added. “Farmers as well as malnourished children and people living with Aids all depend on this product. It’s vital that we’re able to deliver this food as quickly as possible”

In recent weeks, attacks by Somali pirates have risen markedly and drawn the attention of the media – particularly after the capture and then miraculous rescue of American cargo ship captain Richard Phillips. At least 17 ships and around 300 crew are currently being held.

“Safety in this area is a growing concern and we’re hopeful that these attacks will stop soon,” commented Parodi after last week’s attack on the US flagship Liberty Sun.

According to Fettig & Donalty, a company that charters cargo vessels for the international shipping industry, the pirates who attacked the Liberty Sun last week fired several rounds of small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades onto the vessel, causing some damage to the ship’s bulkhead.

Fortunately, however, no one aboard the ship was injured and the pirates were not able to board the vessel. The ship was later able to continue, under naval escort, to the port of Mombasa, Kenya.

Earlier this month, another ship carrying food aid for World Vision’s programmes in east Africa was attacked. The ship, the Maersk Alabama, was carrying 320 metric tonnes of vegetable oil, also for World Vision’s programme in Rwanda, when it was attacked the week before last.

The Maersk Alabama has since been unloaded and the food on that ship – as of last week – was on its way to Rwanda, where World Vision is providing agricultural training and infrastructure development for Rwandan farmers as well as food for malnourished children and people living with HIV and Aids.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian charity organisation that serves close to 100 million people in nearly 100 countries around the world. The organisation employs more than 30,000 staff members.