The European Union Naval Force says that Somali pirates have seized a Vietnamese-owned bulk carrier with 24 crew onboard.
Thursday's statement says the MV Hoang Son Sun was taken approximately 520 miles (836 kilometers) southeast of the port of Muscat in Oman. The crew are all Vietnamese and the ship is Mongolian-flagged.
The statement says the ship was not registered with maritime authorities responsible for helping prevent pirate attacks.
There are now 30 vessels and 724 hostages being held by pirates off the coast of Somalia. The lawless nation lies next to one of the world's most important shipping routes and has not had a functioning government for 20 years.
