Six Indians were among the 10-member crew of a Cameroon-flagged cargo ship hijacked by pirates off Somalia’s Puntland coast earlier this week, according to a Somali official.

The M/V LUTUF was seized on Monday, about three-and-a-half nautical miles from Marraya in Puntland’s Eyl district. The vessel was later taken towards the Nugaal coast.

The ship, owned by Polar Movement Shipping, was carrying weapons bound for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu, along with communications and satellite equipment.

Six Indians among 10-member crew

The crew comprised six Indians, one Turkish national and one Georgian. Two Serbian security guards were also on board, the official said.

The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, saying he was not authorised to publicly discuss sensitive information.

There was no immediate comment from Turkish authorities on the reported hijacking.

Eight pirates, believed to belong to a group previously linked to the hijacking of the M/V Sward on April 26, reportedly took the LUTUF towards the coast near Garmaal in Puntland’s Dangoroyo district.

Turkish vessels and aircraft monitor ship

Two Turkish-owned vessels later approached the hijacked ship, while Turkish helicopters and drones monitored the area, according to the official.

On Tuesday, a small boat carrying two men reportedly approached the LUTUF and delivered khat, a stimulant commonly chewed in Somalia. The boat then returned to shore.

An airstrike followed, killing four men and injuring two others, the official said.

However, details surrounding the strike could not immediately be independently verified. It was also unclear who carried out the airstrike or whether those killed were involved in the hijacking.

The status of the LUTUF, its crew and its cargo was not immediately clear. The Associated Press said it could not independently verify all details of the Somali official’s account.