Somali Pirates: Spanish Fishing Trawler Grabbed

Reported as Somali pirates seize Spanish fishing boat:

Somali pirates on Friday captured a Spanish fishing boat in the Indian Ocean, marking a return of sea bandits from the lawless Horn of Africa country with the end of the monsoon season.

The 100-metre Alakrana and its crew of 36 was seized in the early hours of Friday in the high seas between Somalia and the Seychelles, maritime officials told AFP.

"It was hijacked this morning. We do not know the exact location yet," said Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based Seafarers Assistance Programme, which monitors pirate activity.

A Spanish military official told AFP in Madrid that the Alakrana sent a distress call to another Spanish fishing vessel in the vicinity which in turn alerted a frigate with the European Union's anti-piracy naval force.

A plane has been dispatched to make contact with the Alakrana.

More here:

The "Alacrana" operates out of a port in the Basque Country in northern Spain, La Ser said.

A foreign ministry spokesman could not immediately confirm the report, but the same boat featured in Spanish media reports last week when the captain described how bad weather had helped his vessel escape a pirate attack.

Vessel shown is not the Alakrana but a similar vessel.

UPDATE: Shipowner website.