Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – A Britain based Insurance Company on Wednesday provided compensation to 12 Burmese sailors, who were held captive for 37 days by Somali pirates.
The compensation paid by the 'Protection and Indemnity Club' insurance company was made at the Myanmar Overseas Seafarers Association office in Kyauktada Township in Rangoon.
"Twelve Burmese sailors were among the victims held by Somali pirates. We asked for damages from the insurance company for their losses such as belongings, cash, trauma and time among others. The company assessed the amount of damages to be paid based on their service," Tar Tee, the Association's administrator told Mizzima.
The Burmese sailors received compensations varying from US$ 795 to 1524 depending on the duration of the sailor's services on the shipping line.
On September 10, 2008 a Sri Lanka bound South Korean vessel MV Bright Ruby left Ukraine with cargo of fertilizers. But upon arriving the Red Sea near the Somali cost, pirates came in with speedboats and raided Vessel. The pirates later released the crews, after receiving ransom from the shipping company.
"Five Somali pirates controlled our ship and instructed us to come to their place and stay calm. They told us that our ship was under their control. Then four or five boats arrived and we were taken to a place called 'Eil' on the Indian Ocean, which was about four days journey. We had to wait for the ransom money to be received by the pirates. The pirates released us when they got the money," a Burmese sailor, who was among the captives, told Mizzima.
He said, they were held captives in the navigation bridge along with two Korean sailors for 37 days and were released on 16 October.
Htay Aung from the Seafarers Association said that the amount of damages and compensation depended on the type of vessel and the shipping company.
"There are no policies, law and regulation for this case. Though our Burmese sailors are not entitled to enjoy this benefit according to the law, we claimed damages on a social ground of suffering both physically and mentally during captivity. The insurance companies related these damages to the right of the sailors and their efforts to protect the ship from being damaged. So we claimed this benefit from the insurance company. I think this amount is the best and highest we can get," he said.
All the sailors were reappointed at the shipping company and this is the first ever case of receiving compensation by victims of pirate.
Following the incident, the Association officially declared the Somali region as a danger zone on 7 December 2008. Many international merchant vessels have been frequently held by Somali pirates in the region.
