South Korean officials say gunmen have hijacked a Japanese cargo ship off the coast of Somalia carrying 23 crew including five South Koreans.

The ship was seized in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday, officials said.

The condition of the crew is not known and it is not clear if the pirates are demanding a ransom.

So far this year, Somali pirates have seized more than 30 vessels, making the shipping lanes through the Gulf of Aden the most dangerous in the world.

A South Korean foreign ministry official said the 23 abducted sailors included Filipinos as well as the five South Koreans.

Last Wednesday, the Russian navy said Russian and British ships had repelled a pirate attack on a Danish ship in waters off Somalia.

Tanker seized

Hours earlier, pirates had seized a Turkish chemical tanker off the coast of Yemen, along with its 14-member Turkish crew.

And last Monday Somali pirates hijacked another chemical tanker with 21 Filipino crew on board.

Pirates are still holding the Ukrainian ship MV Faina off the Somali coast for a ransom of $20m (£12m).

In October, 22 sailors - eight South Koreans and 14 Burmese - were freed after a month of captivity when their South Korean shipping company paid a ransom to Somali pirates.

South Korea has said it is considering sending navy vessels to waters off Somalia to protect its shipping.



