"All (Indonesian crew) have been released. TNI personnel there will escort it to a safer place," TNI spokesman Rear Admiral Iskandar Sitompul said in a joint press conference with the executives of PT Samudera Indonesia here on Sunday night.
He said that TNI would escort the ship to a place determined by PT Samudera Indonesia, owner of MV Sinar Kudus.
According to the TNI spokesman, the ship needed to be escorted because there were about 15 groups of Somali pirates operating separately in the Somali waters.
"If we do not escort it, the ship faces a risk of being hijacked again," Iskandar said.
The pirates were highly trained and well organized. Each of the groups owned teams with respective tasks, such as to intercept, negotiate and to be responsible for arms.
In the meantime, Deputy President Director of PT Samudera Indonesia, David Batubara, said MV Sinar Kudus had left the Somali waters. It was sailing northward at a speed of 12 knots.
"It has a plan to berth at a safe and prepared port," David said without giving details.(*)
(a014/H-NG /a014)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
