Iranian state television is reporting 14 crew members from a fishing boat have been kidnapped by the Islamic militant group al-Shabab off the coast of Somalia.
Last night, the television station's scrolling news bar announced the kidnapping, saying the vessel owned by an Iranian fishing organization suffered a technical fault near the Somali coast.
The station said the kidnapping happened today without elaborating. The Somali militants did not immediately claim responsibility for the abductions.
Piracy off the coast of Somalia once was a serious threat to the global shipping industry, but attacks have dropped dramatically the last several years after ships began carrying armed guards.
Last night, the television station's scrolling news bar announced the kidnapping, saying the vessel owned by an Iranian fishing organization suffered a technical fault near the Somali coast.
The station said the kidnapping happened today without elaborating. The Somali militants did not immediately claim responsibility for the abductions.
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Al-Shabab is a Somalia-based extremist group with ties to al-Qaida.
Piracy off the coast of Somalia once was a serious threat to the global shipping industry, but attacks have dropped dramatically the last several years after ships began carrying armed guards.