Pirates seized a Maltese-flagged vessel with a crew of 23 off the coast of Oman, the European Union anti-piracy force, EUNavfor, said.
The Sinin bulk carrier with 13 Iranian and 10 Indian nationals onboard sent a distress call while sailing approximately 350 nautical miles east of Masirah (Oman) in the North Arabian Sea. The ship was en route from Singapore to the U.A.E.
"There has been no communication with the ship since the distress signal was sent and the MV SININ has now changed course towards the Somali coast," the EU force said on its website. "EUNavfor is monitoring the situation."
Somali pirates have been active off Somalia as the country has had no functioning central government for two decades.
MOSCOW, February 14 (RIA Novosti)
