Pirates hijack ship with 20 Indian crew members off Gabon coast

New Delhi: A Turkish tanker flying the Maltese flag with a crew of 20, all of who are Indians, has been hijacked by pirates off the coast of Port-Gentil, Gabon. According to Hurriyet Daily News a Turkish foreign ministry official confirmed that the hijacking took place late on Sunday.

"The owners of the MV Cotton lost contact with the tanker late on Sunday. We believe it was captured by pirates in the region where such acts are common," said the official, who wished to remain anonymous.

According to a International Maritime Bureau report the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa was the region with the greatest activity of pirates in the first half of 2013.