South Korean destroyer nears oil tanker hijacked by pirates

A South Korean destroyer approached hijacked supertanker Samho Dream in the Indian Ocean today as negotiations began with Somali pirates believed to be on board.

The 300,000-ton South Korean registered tanker carrying £110 million of crude oil and with a crew of 24 was heading towards the coast of Somalia when the pirates got on board on Sunday, 930 miles south east of the Gulf of Aden.

"It looks like negotiations might happen, but we can't confirm anything because the hostages as well as the oil tanker are at risk," said Lim Jeong-taek, a South Korean foreign ministry spokesman.

The destroyer is armed with a Lynx helicopter, 40 ship-to-ship and ship-to-air missiles and artillery. About 300 sailors and marines, including a 30-member search and inspection team, are aboard.