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ISTANBUL, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Pirates who kidnapped 15
sailors from a Turkish-crewed container ship in the Gulf of
Guinea on Saturday have made their first contact with the
shipping company to discuss a ransom, Turkish state media
reported on Thursday.
"Communication has been established with crew members of the
Mozart container ship," Istanbul-based Boden Shipping, which
provides technical management services for the vessel, was
quoted as saying by state-owned Anadolu news agency.
"Information has been obtained that all 15 crew members are
in good health, not wounded and together," it said.
One sailor, an Azerbaijani citizen, was killed in the raid
while those kidnapped are from Turkey, according to the
respective governments and a crew list seen by Reuters.
Accounts from crew, family members and security sources
described a sophisticated and well-orchestrated attack on
Saturday in which armed pirates boarded the ship and breached
its protective citadel, possibly with explosives.
The Liberian-flagged vessel was headed to Cape Town from
Lagos when it was attacked 160 km (100 miles) off Sao Tome
island on Saturday, maritime reports showed.