Nairobi, February 3, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Somali pirates hijacked a North Korean cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden Wednesday, European Union naval forces said in a statement.

"The cargo vessel is reported to have been hijacked this morning in the Gulf of Aden to the north of the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC)," the statement said.

The ship, named M/V RIM, is not registered with MSC HOA and has had no communications with UKMTO.

"The RIM was in the northwest area of the Gulf of Aden just south of the Yemeni coast. It is a general cargo ship of 4,800 tons, North Korean-flagged and owned by White Sea Shipping of Libya. Coalition ship USS PORTER, which works closely with EU NAVFOR, and helicopter USS FARRAGUT --both of NATO CTF 151 -- confirmed that the RIM had been hijacked," EUNF Said.

There are no reports of the composition or nationalities of the M/V RIM  crew. The ship has now altered course and is heading towards the Somali Basin. Coalition forces will now monitor the situation.

This year alone. Somali pirates have seized three vessels. The crew of the M/V RIM joins more than 180 sailors being held hostage along the Somali coast.