The captain of a U.S.-flagged, Danish-owned container ship hijacked by pirates in the Indian Ocean is being held hostage, the Associated Press said on Wednesday, citing a person on the vessel contacted by phone.

The AP said it called the ship's satellite phone and the man who answered said the 20-member crew had seized one pirate and successfully negotiated their own release.

The crew had regained control of the ship, the person said. The pirates were in a lifeboat and were holding the captain hostage, the report said.

U.S. Defense Department officials said they could notimmediately confirm any aspect of the AP report on the ship's captain reportedly still being held by pirates.

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