20100204
presstv

After the release of a Greek-owned vessel, Somali pirates hijack a North Korean-flagged ship, the European Union's anti-piracy naval force says.

The pirates seized the MV Rim Wednesday in the Gulf of Aden, making the vessel change course and head towards the Somali coast.

The EU force said in a statement that the nationality and the number of the crew members of the cargo ship remained unclear.

The seizure came two days after a Greek-owned vessel and its crew members were released after its owner paid a $3 million ransom to the pirates.

The coast off the mainly lawless Somalia has become a hub for piracy as hijackers seek payments to release ships. The pirates have collected tens of millions of dollars in ransom.

Piracy off Somalia, one of the world's busiest shipping areas, and other coasts of Africa has increased sharply over the past year, earning the pirates millions of dollars in ransom payments while pushing up the maritime insurance rates.

The total number of pirate attacks has increased despite the tightening of security in the Gulf of Eden shipping routes, according to the EU.