"Everything seems normal so far. Negotiations are ongoing", the source said, adding that the sailors feel well and are kept together in acceptable conditions given the situation.
However, there is still no information on the abductors' demands.
A source familiar with the situation previously stated that the abducted crew members were examined by a doctor, were given malaria prevention medication and the necessary clothes.
The Marmalaita, a multipurpose cargo vessel belonging to German company MarConsult Schiffahrt and sailing under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, was attacked by pirates near Cameroon's Douala port on 15 August. The pirates abducted eight out of the 12 crew members, including three Russian nationals from St. Petersburg, Vladivostok and Murmansk. The vessel itself was not seized and is still anchored in the port.