Somalian pirates hijack Indian vessel with 11 crew members on board
The vessel is being taken towards Eyl in Puntland, a former government official told Reuters.
Somalian pirates have hijacked an Indian commercial ship carrying 11 crew members, Reuters reported on Monday, quoting a former government anti-piracy official. The vessel, which was believed to be going to Bossaso from Dubai, was hijacked off the coast of Somalia and is being taken towards Eyl in Puntland now.
The captain of the ship had managed to contact authorities in Dubai, the official, Abdirizak Mohamed Dirir, told the news agency. The abducted men hail from Mandvi in Mumbai, according to the Financial Express.
The increasing presence of foreign fishermen along the Somalian coast has caused anger among locals. In March, Somalian pirates had hijacked an oil tanker, the first such attempt since 2012, but were forced to back off after being challenged by security personnel guarding the coast.