Somali pirates hijack Yemeni cargo

NAIROBI: Somali pirates have hijacked a Yemeni cargo in the Gulf of Aden, a maritime official said on Tuesday.

Andrew Mwangura, head of the East African Seafarers Assistance Programme, identified the vessel as the MV Amani but provided no further details.

Another maritime official speaking on condition of anonymity said the ship had been seized last week.

World powers have vowed tough action against rampant piracy off Somalia's coastline, which has disrupted commercial traffic in the Gulf of Aden, a major world maritime trade route.

On November 15, the largest ship ever seized by pirates was hijacked in the Indian Ocean.

Pirates have demanded a ransom of 25 million dollars for the release of the Saudi-owned Sirius Star, with a cargo of two million barrels of crude oil and a crew of 25.

Somali pirates currently hold at least 17 ships and more than 250 crew.