Hijacked Malta-flagged ship Ruen spotted near Somalia, security firm says

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Maltese-flagged bulk cargo ship Ruen, which was hijacked by Somali pirates in December, was reported sailing off the coast of Somalia and may be used to conduct attacks on merchant vessels, British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Thursday.

The ship - which has a black hull, red deck, and a yellow smokestack with a red horizontal stripe - was seen sailing eastward 160 nautical miles (296 km) southeast of Eyl, Somalia, in the Arabian Sea, according to Ambrey. The firm advised other vessels in the area to increase vigilance.

Ransom for the Ruen's kidnapped crew has not been paid, Ambrey said. Media reports have put the number of crew at 18.

The report comes after 20 people boarded and took control of a Bangladesh-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Somalia on Tuesday. That followed a resurgence of attacks by Somali pirates in recent months. It was not immediately clear who carried out the attacks.

(Reuters)