(SomaliNet) Bringing to 11 the number of vessels being held by pirates, armed pirates have hijacked another ship in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia today. The bulk carrier with 21 crew members had been sailing from the Middle East to Asia when it was seized, the International Maritime Bureau said. The ship flies a Panamanian flag but is operated in the Philippines. No further details of the attack were immediately available.
Meanwhile, the bureau has issued an urgent warning to ships to take extra measures to deter pirates. A total of 29 ships have been hijacked in African waters this year, with more than 200 crew members on the 11 that remain in pirate hands. The attack comes despite increased international cooperation to crack down on pirates in the Gulf of Aden.