Somali pirates seized an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged ship in the Gulf of Aden while it was heading towards the Suez Canal, maritime sources said on Tuesday.

Andrew Mwangura, head of the Kenya-based East African Seafarers Assistance Programme, told Reuters the 5,200 dead weight tonne cargo vessel had about eight crew, but said so far it was unclear who owned the vessel.

"The ship was taken on Monday, and has about eight crew," Mwangura said.

Pirates are making tens of millions of dollars in ransoms from seizing merchant ships in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, despite efforts by foreign navies to clamp down. – Reuters