Somali pirates hijack tanker after evading Nato copter

Nairobi: Somali pirates seized control of a chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden as a Nato helicopter gunship, too late to prevent the hijacking, picked up three security guards who jumped into the sea.

Both France and Germany, which have ships in the area as part of an international anti-piracy coalition, sent the aircraft after receiving a distress call just after dawn, French military spokesman Commander Christophe Prazuck said.

But in the 15 minutes it took to get to the site on Friday, the pirates had already boarded and had taken the crew of 25 Indians and two Bangladeshis hostage.

The two British guards who leapt overboard with their Irish colleague were safe onboard a French warship, he said.

Friday's was the 97th ship hijacking this year.

One of the hijacked ships, the Malta-flagged cargo ship Centauri, was released on Thursday with all 25 Filipino crew unharmed after more than two months in the hands of pirates, Greece announced.