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Piracy latest: Greek cargo vessel hijacked

Piracy latest: Greek cargo vessel hijacked

Nairobi: Greek-operated cargo ship MV Lugela with a dozen crew members on board has been hijacked in the latest case of piracy off Somalia, the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme confirmed on Monday, reports China's Xinhua news agency.

The confirmation came after the European Union Naval Force Somalia indicated on Saturday that pirates might have taken the Panama-flagged ship with 12 Ukrainian crew members on board.

"The vessel was in the Somali Basin, approximately 900 nautical miles East of Eyl, Somalia. A short while later, the vessel altered course to sail towards the Somali coast. There has been no contact with the ship throughout this incident," Naval Force spokesman John Harbour said.

He said after having transited through the Gulf of Aden, the MV Lugela was sailing in the direction of Republic of Mauritius with a cargo of steel bars and wires. "The MV Lugela, deadweight 4,281 tonnes, has a crew of 12, all Ukrainian," Harbour said.  [28/09/10]