A global maritime watchdog says pirates have seized a Malaysian tanker with more than 20 crew in the Gulf of Eden off the coast of Somalia.
Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur, says the center picked up a distress signal late Tuesday and immediately notified Western naval ships patrolling the area.
Choong said Wednesday that a warship has been sent to intercept the tanker, which is currently heading toward Somalia territorial waters, adding that this marked the fourth hijacking in Somalia within a month. |