http://www.corriere.it/english/11_marzo_21/bufi-eight-italian-seamen-seized_ a799a390-53be-11e0-9775-d7937a6c081d.shtml
Eight Italian Seamen on Vessel Seized by Armed Men Relatives' anguish at lack of information NAPLES - An Italian-registered vessel was seized yesterday morning in Tripoli harbour. The incident involves the Asso 22, a supply tug belonging to Augusta Offshore SpA, which is owned by Naples-based shipping entrepreneur Mario Mattioli. The company's tugs are working at the Mellitah oil rig, 120 kilometres from Tripoli and 30 from the Tunisian border. Asso 22 arrived in Tripoli on Friday at the request of the client, a Libyan company in partnership with Italy's ENI, to whom Augusta has leased its vessels. The tug sailed again early yesterday afternoon. On board were the eleven crew members, who were forced to act under orders from the armed men who a few hours earlier had seized the vessel and broken off all radio communications. Their destination is unknown but Asso 22's the north-easterly route would have taken it to the oil rig at Mellitah. This is where it would probably have gone - although the intentions of the Libyans who seized it are not known - had not the constant presence of a helicopter from the Italian navy's Comandante Borsini patrol vessel persuaded the hijackers to turn back and head first for Tripoli, and then Tunis. The Asso 22's crew comprises eight Italians, two Indians and a Ukrainian. The Italians are Salvatore Boscarino, Giorgio Coppa, Nino Arena and Graziano Scala, all from Pozzallo, Sicily, Giuseppe Iapino from Ischia, two men from Sorrento and one from Lazio. The names of the last three have not been released. Relatives last heard from the men three days ago. "We were expecting at least a phone call from the foreign ministry", said Mr Coppa's partner, Chiara Fugura, "but instead we're getting our news from the TV and internet". The seizure of the Asso 22 is hard to interpret, even for the Italian authorities. Italy's foreign minister, Franco Frattini, admitted that "we do not know the intentions" of the Libyans who boarded the vessel. Defence minister Ignazio La Russa said that Italy was ready to "intervene using any means whatsoever to evacuate the crew". If it is in fact a kidnapping, the first thing Italian intelligence officers want to establish is the identity of the abductors. They are probably militiamen loyal to Gheddafi but proof is lacking. What is certain, because it comes from Augusta Offshore SpA, is that while the Asso 22 was moored in Tripoli, it was visited several times by Libyans claiming to be harbour authority officials. The first visit was on Friday night, when the men forced the crew to explain how the vessel's instruments worked, the specifications of its equipment, and its navigation performance. The visitors returned on Saturday afternoon to take photographs of the bridge and engine room, and then again on Saturday evening, when they demanded to be made familiar with the Asso 22's equipment and commands. The final communication came yesterday at 7 am, announcing that Libyans, some of them soldiers, and two dinghies were on board. Since then, there has been no further contact. Fulvio Bufi 21 marzo 2011C all rights reserved - unauthorized reproduction forbidden English translation by Giles Watson www.watson.it <http://www.watson.it/> Article in Italian <http://www.corriere.it/esteri/11_marzo_21/bufi-Otto-marinai-italiani-seques trati_6e67322a-5389-11e0-9775-d7937a6c081d.shtml> <http://www.corriere.it/english/11_marzo_21/bufi-eight-italian-seamen-seized _a799a390-53be-11e0-9775-d7937a6c081d.shtml> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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