Jumbo-Sized Saudi Oil Tanker Falls To Somali Pirates

November 17, 2008 8:24 p.m. EST

Nairobi, Kenya (AHN) - A crude oil tanker the size of three aircraft carriers and loaded with two millions of barrels of oil has fallen into the hands of Somali pirates.

The U.S.-bound Sirius Star, which is owned by Saudi Arabian oil giant Saudi Aramco, was hijacked Saturday more than 450 nautical miles southeast of Mombasa, Kenya and steered towards Eyl, Somalia, according to the U.S. Navy. The vessel's 25 crew of mixed nationalities are safe, the Dubai-based shipowner Vela International said.

Lt Nathan Christensen, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, described the hijacking was "unprecedented." "It's the largest ship that we've seen pirated," he told BBC News.

The hijacking was also unusual as the pirates boarded the ship far away from the African coast.