Somalia: Another day, another pirate attack

Filipinos aboard ship seized off Somalia.

A ship with 20 Philippine sailors has reportedly been hijacked off the coast of Somalia. A spokesman for the Philippine foreign ministry told reporters that the Japanese-owned Stella Maris was seized by pirates on Sunday.

He said officials had been in contact with the sailors, who were in a good state of health. But he added that it was against the Philippine government's policy to pay a ransom to the kidnappers.

The Stella Maris, which was carrying a cargo of lead and zinc, was boarded by 38 armed men in the Gulf of Aden, according to the Spanish news agency EFE.