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AP Photo/Katharine Houreld
Somali coastguards
Somali Pirates
Two hostages dead after pirates hijack ship off Somali coast
The Danish warship had been following the hijacked vessel for several days before attempting to board it.
TWO HOSTAGES HAVE died after a Danish warship boarded a ship hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia.
The Danish ship Absalon had been following the hijacked vessel for several days before attempting to board it yesterday after a warning shot was ignored by the pirates.
The hijacked ship had been attempting to sail away from the coast when the Absalon stopped it before it could pose a threat to other ships, the Danish navy has said.
The pirates surrendered and the crew of the warship was able to board the hijacked ship.
The Danish crew found 17 suspected pirates and 18 hostages on board the ship, with two of the hostages badly injured. Both hostages received medical treatment but later died.
It is not yet known how exactly they died, the Danish navy said. The nationalities of the hostages has not yet been released.
Danish authorities are to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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