FACTBOX-Ships held by Somali pirates: Monday October 19

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Oct 19 (Reuters) - A Chinese bulk carrier carrying 25 Chinese crew was hijacked in the Indian Ocean on Monday, the European Union's counter-piracy force in the region said.

The vessel was seized 550 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles and 700 nautical miles off the east coast of Somalia, the EU naval force said in a statement.

Here is a list of ships under the control of Somali pirates:



WIN FAR 161: Taiwanese tuna boat, seized on April 6, 2009.

ARIANA: Seized on May 2, 2009. Ariana was seized north of Madagascar en route to the Middle East from Brazil. The 24 Ukrainian crew were said to be unhurt. The ship, flying a Maltese flag, belongs to All Oceans shipping in Greece.

CHARELLE: Seized on June 12, 2009. The 2,800-tonne cargo ship carrying about nine crew was attacked south of Oman.

ALAKRANA: Seized on Oct. 2, 2009. The 3,716-tonne fishing vessel has a crew of 36 and a home port in the Spanish Basque Country. The Seychelles coastguard said the ship was seized 400 nautical miles northwest of Mahe. The vessel had previously escaped an attempted hijack on Sept. 4.

KOTA WAJAR: Seized on Oct. 15, 2009. The 24,637-tonne container ship, seized 300 nautical miles north of Seychelles, was heading for the Kenyan port of Mombasa from Singapore. It had 21 crew on board.

* PIRACY FACTS:

-- Piracy attacks around the world more than doubled to 240 during the first six months of the year from 114 in the same period in 2008, the ICC International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB) said in July.

-- The rise in overall numbers was due almost entirely to increased Somali pirate activity. In the first half of 2009 attacks soared to 148 from 25 in the same period a year ago.

-- Of those 148 attacks, 31 resulted in successful hijackings by Somali pirates, including one attack off Oman's coast. In 2008, there were 111 incidents including 42 vessels hijacked in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.

-- Nearly 20,000 ships pass through the Gulf of Aden each year, heading to and from the Suez Canal.

Sources: Reuters/Ecoterra International/International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Centre/Lloyds List/Inquirer.net