Pakistan-owned vessel hijacked by Somali pirates hours after Indian ship was seized

A Pakistan-owned cargo vessel, which was carrying food, was hijacked off the coast of central Somalia, Somali officials said on Tuesday, according to the New York Times.

A Pakistan-owned cargo vessel, which was carrying food, was hijacked off the coast of central Somalia, Somali officials said on Tuesday, according to the New York Times.

In this photo taken Monday, March 6, 2017, fishermen stand on the Indian Ocean beach at dusk in the former pirate village of Eyl, in Somalia's semiautonomous northeastern state of Puntland.(AP Photo)

The hijacking came hours after the pirates hijacked an Indian vessel along the coast of Somalia near a village named El Hur.

Abdillahi Ahmed Ali, mayor of Somali town Hobyo, confirmed the incident while talking to Voice of America, but expressed unawareness about the number of crew members on the Pakistani vessel called Salama 1.

An Indian registered cargo dhow, which was hijacked by suspected Somali pirates on April 1, is now in the vicinity of Hobyo, the EU Naval Force said on Monday. “EU Naval Force can confirm that an Indian registered cargo dhow was seized by suspected pirates on 01 April and is now in the vicinity of Hobyo, Somalia,” a statement on its website said.

This is the first time the force has given a location for the vessel.

“An EU Naval Force maritime patrol aircraft has confirmed the exact location of the dhow and has attempted to establish radio communications but without success,” the statement added.