The Spanish deep-sea tuna ship Playa de Bakio has been seized by pirates as she was fishing off Somalia. Her 26-man crew were taken hostage.

The ship was apparently first attacked with grenade launchers and then boarded by three or four men, who carried out the hijacking without inflicting any injury on the crew.

A Spanish frigate is now sailing from the Red Sea towards the site, and in Madrid the ministries of Foreign affairs, Defence and the Environment are coordinating their efforts to free the crew.

This latest incident comes just weeks after hijackers seized the luxury yacht Le Ponant in the same area.