NAIROBI, Kenya — Somali pirates seized a ship with eight crew onboard, the European Union Naval Force said Tuesday, bringing the total number of ships held to 26.
The MV EMS River was seized approximately 175 miles (280 kilometers) northeast of the port of Salalah, Oman, said Wing Cmdr. Paddy O'Kennedy. The pirates have been extending their range south and east in response to increased naval patrols off the Somali coast.
The general cargo ship has a crew of one Romanian and seven Filipinos, the EU force said. The ship is German owned and was carrying petrol from Greece to the United Arab Emirates.