Sailors learn to cope with piracy

The Sirius Star is the largest vessel seized by Somali pirates

A three-day course on how to survive piracy is being run for sailors in Newcastle.

Crisis psychologists and security professionals will be at the event run by shipping company Maersk, which operates 70 ships from the city.

The firm said there has been an increased interest in the training since the super tanker Sirius Star was captured in the Indian Ocean.

The crew, including Peter French from County Durham, is still being held.

Mr French, a chief engineer was one of 25 crew onboard when the super tanker, carrying two million barrels of oil, was seized by Somali pirates on 15 November.

Over the past three years, the Maersk Training Centre on Newcastle's quayside has trained more than 350 senior people who work in waters with a potential security risk.

The course includes role-playing and practical exercises in how to behave in attack, hostage and kidnapping situations.