Pirates ‘seize German cargo ship’

Somali pirates have hijacked a 20,000-tonne German container ship in the Indian Ocean, a merchant mariners’ charity reports. They seized the ship on Saturday about 400 nautical miles (740km) off the southern Somali port of Kismayo, between the Seychelles and Kenya. A crew of 24 is believed to be aboard the ship, the Kenya-based East African Seafarers’ Assistance Programme said.