A South Korean fishing vessel was apparently hijacked in waters off the Somali coast, a Seoul official was quoted by South Korean news agency Yonhap as saying on Saturday.

Seoul's naval contingent, the Cheonghae Unit, was deployed to the site after the ship carrying both South Korean and foreign crew members went out of contact, the official said, declining to be named.

A foreign ministry official said that Seoul authorities are trying to verify the situation.

Source: MENA