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Russian press discusses details of tanker rescue operation

© Photo : by Novoship Ltd. PR department Russian press discusses details of tanker rescue operation
 Russian press discusses details of tanker rescue operation  - Sputnik International
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As the Russian Moscow University tanker, freed from pirates on Thursday, sets off for refueling, heated discussion of the details of the rescue operation fills the Russian press.

As the Russian Moscow University tanker, freed from pirates on Thursday, sets off for refueling, heated discussion of the details of the rescue operation fills the Russian press.

The Moscow University tanker was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday. Russian forces on the large anti-submarine warship Marshal Shaposhnikov freed the 23 crewmembers in a successful operation on Thursday.

The Novorossiysk shipping company (Novoship), the owner of the tanker, said in a statement the tanker had set off for refueling at a nearby port.

Novoship spokesman said the tanker will continue on its route to deliver its cargo. Novoship did not give details of the final destination or further route of the vessel.

Meanwhile the Russian press continues to discuss the details of the rescue operation.

Gazeta daily cited a Russian Navy Pacific Fleet official as saying that the Marshal Shaposhnikov succeeded in the assault operation because the pirates were aware that the sides were unequal in strength.

The official told Gazeta the Russian warship used a helicopter Ka-27 during the reconnaissance operation and that the helicopter was shot at by the pirates but undamaged.

The paper quoted the Russian Defense ministry as saying that after the pirates began shooting, the Marshal Shaposhnikov fired several warning shots from onboard 30-mm automatic cannons; the pirates quickly surrendered.

Kommersant daily quoted Novoship head Igor Tonkovidov as saying that just after the tanker was hijacked by the pirates, the sailors sent a SOS signal, disabled the ship and locked themselves in a safe room. Because they knew the sailors had taken cover, the Navy made the decision to release the tanker.

"We had contact with the crew, although the line was unstable," Tonkovidov said.

Russian defense ministry spokesman Alexei Kuznetsov told Kommersant that, during the 20-hour standoff, the pirates were unable break the cockpit compartment's door. They did not make any attempts to break it with a grenade launcher because of the fire hazard.

The commander of the Russian naval task force in the Gulf of Aden, capt. First Rank Ildar Akhmerov told Kommersant the assault operation lasted 22 minutes.

"The pirates were actually caught unawares as they did not expect such decisive action from us," Akhmerov said.

MOSCOW, MAY 7 (RIA Novosti)

 

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