Awwal 26, 1432 H/March 1, 2011, SPA -- Denmark on Tuesday urged recreational sailors to avoid the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and the north-western section of the Indian Ocean due to the risk of pirates. The warning was issued a day after the Foreign Ministry said that pirates had seized a yacht in the Indian Ocean with seven Danish nationals on board, three of them children aged between 12 and 16, according to dpa. The latest contact with the yacht was Thursday, when the crew issued a distress call. A search was underway for the yacht, which was reportedly heading for Somalia as part of a world tour. Danish officials declined to comment on the incident and did not say if a Danish navy vessel in the region was taking part in the search. Foreign Minister Lene Espersen expressed "deep concern" over the fate of the seven and condemned the hijacking.
