TURKISH MINISTER SAYS FRIGATES AFTER HIJACKED TURKISH SHIP

Turkey's Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim said that two Turkish frigates were following a Turkish-flagged ship which was held by Somali pirates.
Somali pirates attacked the Turkish-flagged Horizon-1 with 23 Turkish crew members on board earlier on Wednesday. The ship was enroute to Jordan from Saudi Arabia.
"Somali pirates boarded the ship, rendered the crew ineffective and took control of the cargo ship," Yildirim told a press conference in Istanbul.
Yildirim said that the Turkish "TCG Gediz" frigate went to the scene of the attack, however did not intervene not to risk the lives of the crew members.
The minister said that "Gediz" and "Gaziantep" frigates were closely following the cargo ship, which was en route of Somalia's Eyl port.
Yildirim said pirating had become the biggest international threat in the region, and therefore a naval force had been set up under the auspices of the UN.
The Turkish minister said two Turkish frigates were serving that international force.
Yildirim said that pirates earlier took the ships they hijacked to Eyl port, contacted the lawyers and insurance office of the ship and asked for ransom.
"Turkish cargo ship is also heading there (the port)," he said.
Yildirim said necessary steps would be taken when conditions occurred.