Monday, March 21, 2011

Libya, Tripoli hijacked ship stopped all communications

Continue the yellow of the Italian fishing boat, seized Saturday by the Libyan authorities, and that last night, after pointing to the platform Eni has backtracked on the port. But still do not know anything. If that is not on board with the crew of eight Italians are armed Libyans. And that worries a lot.

According to experts, in fact, it would be Gaddafi's first retaliation against Italy yesterday, in one of his messages, Rais called "traitor." To give weight to this argument, the fact that the crew was forced to shut down radio communications. A clear sign of how the Libyans have not the slightest intention of coming to myths advice.

"We're very worried we feel abandoned." This comment Salvo Arena, the father of Anthony, 34, a seaman on board the tug Ace 22. Arena, married and father of a child of four years, he embarked on January 27 from Augusta and had to close his period of work in recent days. "I heard Anthony - says the father - shortly before midnight the day before yesterday: he preferred to speak with me for not transmit anxiety to his wife Sofia.

He said the situation was under control and he was fine. I felt peaceful, maybe I wanted to convey his concern. " But the fear is growing more and more because they are very concerned by the situation that has arisen in Libya. I have not received official word from anybody. " The detention of the tug Ace 22 took place yesterday afternoon, around 17, so shortly before the French fighter jets to Libya.

The fact was speaking today Foreign Minister Franco Frattini that he had not ruled out that "we can deal with a kidnapping." The tug was landing at Tripoli workers Libyan NOC, the Libyan oil company, when some armed men, including one that would qualify as the commander of the port, the crew stopped, preventing the ship to leave.

The Italians and the others are still on board. The boat is the company Augusta Offshore SpA of Naples, founded in 1986 and specializes in service to oil rigs and exploration and production. With headquarters in Naples, where he is assigned the commercial and technical department: in addition, the company has operating bases in Italy in Syracuse, Egypt, Cairo, Rio De Janeiro in Brazil and Macao.

Offices in Naples, off limits to journalists at the time, it was established a task force of employees committed to follow the developments of the situation. The staff is in constant contact with the CEO of the company, Mario Mattioli, who is also national president of Assorimorchiatori.

The Ace 22 two years ago salts to hit the headlines for a major relief operation immigrant who was the protagonist: It was March 2009 when the tug was able to rescue more than 350 migrants off the coast of Libya. At that time the tug, 75 feet long, was watching three oil platforms off the coast of Libya when they crossed the sea in a cart full of difficulties that migrants was hooked and towed to the port of Tripoli.

Following that operation the CGIL Campania demanded that the crew of the tug was awarded the medal for valor civil.

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