The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has received a confirmation of the seizure by Somali pirates of the Lugela, a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship with 12 Ukrainians onboard.
"The Ukrainian Embassy in Greece confirmed reports of the seizure of the ship by Somali pirates," the ministry’s press service told Interfax-Ukraine.
The ministry said that the ship was carrying steel bars and wires from the port of Alexandria to the island of Mauritius.
The vessel was hijacked in the Indian Ocean 900 miles off the coast of Somalia.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the families of the sailors have already been informed about the ship’s seizure. The Ukrainian Embassy in Greece is taking all measures to clarify the circumstances of the incident and is in constant contact with the Greek operator of the ship.
