Somali pirates reportedly in ransom negotiations

Somali pirates reportedly in ransom negotiations Pirates that seized the Ukranian freighter Faina with 33 tanks on board are reportedly demanded a $20 million ransom.
      “Negotiations between the Ukrainian owners and the pirates are going on over the phone,” the London Telegraph quotes Andrew Mwangura, of the East African Seafarers Assistance Programme, as saying.
   Reportedly the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Howard and warships from the European Union are near the freighter.
   The Russian news agency Tass reports there was shooting between pirates on the ship Tuesday, but none of the crew was injured.
   Tass says the ship’s crew is made up of 17 Ukrainians, two Russians and a Latvian. Another Russian national, Skipper Vladimir Kolobkov, died of cerebral hemorrhage on Monday, after the ship was seized last week.
   Tass said the ship carries a cargo of armaments, including 33 T-72 tanks, air-defense weapon systems, grenade launchers and ammunition.