A British-flagged cargo ship with 25 crew, including eight Bulgarians, has been hijacked 1,000 kilometres east of Somalia, the Bulgarian foreign ministry announced yesterday.

The Asian Glory, which was hijacked on Friday evening, was transporting cars from Singapore to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

As well as the Bulgarians, including the ship's captain, the crew includes Ukrainians, Romanians and Indians, according to Zodiac Shipping, which hired the Bulgarians.

A British Foreign Office spokesman confirmed the hijacking yesterday, telling AFP in London that "there are no British nationals on board" the Asian Glory.

He added that the Foreign Office would keep in regular contact with the ship's management and "offer support wherever possible".

Commander John Harbour, of the EU Naval Force (EU NavFor), said the Asian Glory was hijacked "well outside the EU NavFor area of operation".

The ship, built in 1994, can carry more than 4,000 cars, according to the website of London-based Zodiac Maritime Agencies, which manages the vessel.

Zodiac also manages the British-flagged chemical tanker St James Park, which was hijacked last Monday in the Gulf of Aden en route from Spain to Thailand.

It was anchored off the coast of Somalia on New Year's Eve, the Bulgarian foreign ministry said.

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