German shipping firm: 8 crew seized by pirates off Cameroon

A German shipping company says pirates have abducted eight crew members from one of its vessels off the coast of West Africa. Shipping company MC-Schiffahrt said on its website that pirates attacked the MarMalaita late Wednesday while it was anchored off Douala, Cameroon. The Hamburg-based company said it has assembled an emergency response team and is working with "all relevant authorities" to free its crew.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday that three Russians were among those seized, citing information coming from the seaman recruiting agency Marlow Navigation of St. Petersburg.