Pirates seize Norwegian vessel off Somalia: US Navy

Pirates have captured a Norwegian-owned cargo vessel off the coast of Somalia with a crew of 23 people aboard, a US Navy spokesman said on Thursday.

"The cargo is unknown. There are 23 crew members aboard," said Lieutenant Nathan Christensen, spokesman for the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

The vessel named Bow Asir was Bahamas-flagged, he said.