20101011
africanews

Somali pirates have seized a Japanese ship with 20 Filipino crews on board in the Somali Basin, the European Union naval force said on Monday. A Danish warship was sent to investigative the Panama-flagged MV IZUMI ship early Monday after owners received a distress signal on Sunday.

"In the early hours of October 11 the captain of the vessel made contact with the Danish warship, stating that pirates were in charge of the MV Izumi," the EU Naval force spokesman Lt. Col. Per Klingvall said in a statement.

The ship which is now traveling to Somalia is around 170 miles (274 kilometers) south of the Somali capital of Mogadishu. The French warship FS Floreal is monitoring the situation, the statement said.

The ship which operated by NYK-Hinode Line Ltd was traveling between Singapore and Mombasa, said Yuki Shimoda, an official at Japan's Transport Ministry. The Izumi was carrying 14,152-ton but it is not clear what cargo it is.

Somali pirates are now holding 18 ships with 389 crew member. The Horn of Africa nation has not had naval force since warlords overthrew longtime dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.