Somali pirates have hijacked a ship with 21 Indian crew members near a port in Oman.
Indian and Omani officials say pirates boarded and seized control of the MV Fairchem Bogey on Saturday while it was anchored a few kilometers off the port of Salalah. The ship is now reported to be headed toward Somalia.
The ship's manager, Mumbai-based Anglo Eastern Ship Management, says the Omani Coast Guard approached the vessel after it was hijacked, but backed off after pirates warned of possible harm to the crew. The company says it appears all crew members are safe with no injuries.
Somali pirates frequently attack and hijack ships near Oman. The pirates have ventured farther and farther from the coast of Somalia to avoid international naval patrols in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean.