A maritime official says pirates have hijacked a Danish cargo ship with 13 crew members aboard near Somalia. Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau says the ship was sailing from the Middle East to Asia when it was seized Friday in the Gulf of Aden. The ship flies a Bahamas flag but operates out of Denmark, Associated Press reported. Choong says the bureau warned ships in the area to take extra precautions to deter pirates. No further details were immediately available. There have been 81 attacks this year in the African waters, with 32 ships hijacked. Choong says 11 vessels remain in the hands of pirates along with more than 200 crew. The attack comes despite increased international cooperation to crack down on pirates near Somalia.
