Five Russian sailors among hostages of Somali pirates

A German ship, whose crew is reported to include three Russians, and a Japanese ship, whose crew incudes two Russians, are among three ships hijacked by Somali pirates on one day. The other ship is said to be Iranian.

The owners of the hijacked Japanese ship have begun initial talks with the captors, according to the International Maritime Bureau. Two Russian nationals were among the crew when it was taken hostage on Thursday.
 
The pirates seized the tanker in the Gulf of Aden as it was making its way from France to India. Two other freighters, German and Iranian, were captured in the same area on the same day.

The Maritime Journal reported that the German ship has three Russian nationals aboard.