Officials say Somali pirates have hijacked Taiwanese, British and Yemeni vessels

Officials say Somali pirates have hijacked Taiwanese, British and Yemeni vessels

April 06, 2009 at 12:59
NAIROBI, Kenya - Diplomats and officials say Somali pirates have hijacked three vessels in the Indian Ocean.

The diplomats said the Taiwanese ship MV Win Far 161 was seized near an island in the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. It is the second attack in the Seychelles within a week.

An official with Yemen's Interior Ministry confirmed that a small Yemeni boat, and its seven-person crew, was also hijacked by Somali pirates on Sunday.

Authorities received a distress call from the captain saying he was being hijacked while in the Indian Ocean.

No location was given for the attack on the British-owned cargo ship, the Malaspina Castle. The diplomats said the ship is Italian-operated and flies a Panamanian flag.

There was no word on the nationalities or numbers of crew.