KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - A maritime official says armed pirates have hijacked an Indian cargo vessel with 13 crew members near Somalia.
Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau says the cargo-laden dhow was en route to Somalia from Asia when it was seized over the weekend. He says the bureau only received a distress report on Monday and is still verifying the time and date of the attack. No further details were immediately available.
The hijacking pushed the number of attacks this year in the African waters to 74.
Choong says 10 ships remain in the hands of pirates along with nearly 200 crew members.
The attack comes despite increased international cooperation to crack down on pirates in the African waters.
