Escalation: Pirates seize U.S.-owned tugboat, take crew hostage

“This incident shows the pirates are becoming more daring and violent,” Mwangura told Reuters by phone.

NATO alliance officials on board the Portuguese warship NRB Corte-Real, which is patrolling the Gulf of Aden, said a distress call came from the MV Buccaneer tugboat but communications were lost six minutes later.

They said 10 of the tugboat’s crew were Italian citizens.