Somali Pirates Hijack Saudi Tanker with 14 Crewmembers on Board

Somali Pirates Hijack Saudi Tanker with 14 Crewmembers on Board

Somali pirates have hijacked a Saudi tanker with 14 crew onboard, a spokesman for the European Union Naval Force said Wednesday.

The Al Nisr Al Saudi usually carried fuel oil but was empty when it was taken in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, said Cmdr. John Harbour.

The captain of the ship is Greek and the nationalities of the rest of the crew were not known, but they are believed to be safe, The Associated Press reports.

The MT Al Nisr Al Saudi, a 5,136 tonne tanker, was seized on Monday with its Greek captain and 13 Sri Lankan crew members, said Andrew Mwangura, who heads the East African Seafarers Assistance Programme.

"It was on its way from Japan to Jeddah" in Saudi Arabia, he said, AFP reports.