On November 17, 2008, the U.S. Navy announced that the Sirius Star had been hijacked by Somali pirates. Lt. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, said the pirates hijacked the very large crude carrier at about 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 15, while it was southbound, about 450 nautical miles (520 mi/830 km) southeast of the coast of Kenya — the farthest out to sea Somali pirates have struck. The attack also made Sirius Star the largest vessel ever to be hijacked.[6] It is estimated that for the pirates to reach the Sirius Star, they must have voyaged south for three to four days.
At the time of the attack, the ship was carrying a full load of 2 million barrels of crude oil — more than one-quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily oil production output, and worth at least US$100 million and was bound for the United States via the Cape of Good Hope. According to officials from Puntland, the pirates anchored Sirius Star at the Somali port of Harardhere, contrary to early reports from the United States Navy that the ship was anchored near Eyl..... Read the full story