A CHINESE bulk carrier carrying 25 Chinese crew was hijacked in the Indian Ocean today, the European Union's counter-piracy force in the region said. The vessel was seized 550 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles and 700 nautical miles off the east coast of Somalia, the EU naval force said in a statement.A spokesman for the force said an EU maritime patrol aircraft had located the vessel, now about 350 miles north of the Seychelles and 700 miles off the Somali coast.
"The aircraft spotted at least four pirates on the deck and the vessel is towing two skiffs," John Harbour said. "It was last reported heading west towards the Somali coast."