Somali pirates hijacked a cargo vessel from the UAE yesterday after firing small arms and rocket propelled grenades at the ship, Europe’s anti-piracy mission said.

The Orna was seized in the Indian Ocean around 400 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles archipelago, according to a report in our sister newspaper Gulf Daily News.

At least four pirates boarded the ship after stopping it, the statement said, adding that the crew was co-operating with the assailants and no damage was reported.