VOA标准英语2009年-Somali Pirates Release Italian Tugboat
时间：2019-01-07 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2009年(八月)
An Italian tugboat and its crew of 16, seized by Somali pirates four months ago, has been released. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini expressed his satisfaction at the outcome after months of negotiations 1.
Franco Frattini (File photo)
The Italian-flagged tugboat Buccaneer was hijacked 2 in the Gulf 3 of Aden on April 11. On board was a crew of 10 Italians, 5 Romanians and one Croatian. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that the Somali prime minister informed him directly about the vessel 4's release and said it was the result of exceptional work on the part of Somalia authorities and Italian intelligence.
Frattini said Italy was involved in strong political action with local and Somali authorities that finally made the pirates understand that there was no other possibility but that of releasing the hostages.
Frattini stressed that the ship was not freed as the result of military action and he said that no ransom 5 was paid. However, there are news reports that a ransom was paid.
The foreign minister said the release and withdrawal 6 of the pirates occurred in the most simple way. He added that special Italian forces on board the San Giorgio Italian military vessel have confirmed that they were boarding the Buccaneer and were able to check that the pirates had freed the ship and that the crew had resumed full control.
The Buccaneer and its crew is now being escorted by navy vessels 7 and is on its way to Djibouti. The Italian crew expects to be able to be back home by mid-August.
A German freighter was also released by Somali pirates after nearly four months last week and arrived Saturday in the Kenyan port of Mombasa with the 24-member crew "exhausted 8" but in good condition.
Pirates have launched more than 100 attacks this year in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping 9 lanes, and are currently holding about a dozen vessels.
- negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
- Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。
- The plane was hijacked by two armed men on a flight from London to Rome. 飞机在从伦敦飞往罗马途中遭到两名持械男子劫持。
- The plane was hijacked soon after it took off. 那架飞机起飞后不久被劫持了。
- The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
- There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。
- The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
- You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。
- We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
- The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。
- The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
- They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。
- The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
- Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。