The owners of a Saudi Arabian oil tanker hijacked by Somali pirates are negotiating a possible ransom, the Saudi foreign minister has said. The Sirius Star is the biggest tanker ever hijacked, carrying a cargo of two million barrels of Saudi oil worth more than US$100m (£67m). Saudi's Prince Saud al-Faisal did not confirm whether a ransom was likely to be agreed, but said talks had begun.
Meanwhile, the Indian navy says it has sunk a suspected pirate "mother ship", INS Tabar sank what was believed to be a Somali pirate "mother ship" after it failed to stop for investigation and instead opened fire in the Gulf of Aden, an Indian navy statement said.
There has been a surge in piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia during 2008, the MV Sirius Star, with 25 crew, was seized by pirates on Saturday. Asked whether a ransom was being negotiated, the Saudi foreign minister said the decision rested with the owners of the tanker.
"We do not like to negotiate with either terrorists or hijackers. But the owners of the tanker, they are the final arbiters of what happens there," Prince Saud al-Faisal said.
