South Korean warship catches up with hijacked oil tanker in Indian Ocean, AFP Dutch marines rescue German vessel from pirates off Somalia‎ -

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - South Korea's Foreign Ministry says a South Korean navy destroyer has caught up with a hijacked supertanker carrying about US$160 million of crude oil.

The supertanker, on its way from Iraq to the United States, is believed to have been hijacked Sunday by Somali pirates, the latest high-value bargaining chip for the sea bandits.

South Korean navy received a call from the South Korean-operated 300,000-ton Samho Dream saying three pirates had boarded it and then lost contact.

At the time, it was about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) southeast of the Gulf of Aden. It has 24 crew - five South Koreans and 19 Filipinos.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry said the destroyer was maneuvering near the hijacked ship as of early Tuesday South Korean time.

- AP

A German container ship has been freed from pirates off the coast of Somalia. A Dutch frigate, part of the EU's Atalanta anti-piracy mission, recaptured the ship and arrested the pirates. The crew were unharmed.

Dutch marines rescue German vessel from pirates off Somalia‎ -