Maltese bulk carrier believed seized by pirates

LONDON (Reuters) - Pirates are believed to have seized a Maltese owned and registered bulk carrier with a crew of 23 in the North Arabian Sea, the European Union anti-piracy force said Sunday.

EU Navfor said the MV Sinin had sent a distress signal saying it was under attack Saturday afternoon while around 350 nautical miles east of Masirah in Oman in the North Arabian Sea.

Navfor aircraft flew over the vessel and photographed two suspected pirate skiffs on board.

The 53,000 deadweight tonnes vessel had been on route to Singapore from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, but has now changed course toward the Somali coast.

There had been no communication with the vessel since the distress signal and there was no information on the condition of the crew of 13 Iranian and 10 Indian nationals, Navfor said.

(Reporting by Tim Castle; Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)