An Italian tugboat seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday remains off the northern Somalia, some ten miles from coastal town of Las Qoray, shipping sources said here on Tuesday.
The Buccaneer has a crew of 16, ten of whom are Italians while the rest are five Romanians and one Croat.
An Italian Navy ship, Maestrale, in in the area.
No ransom request has yet been made for the Italian boat and the shipping company which own it, Ravenna-based Micoperi, said that the last word they had received was that the crew was unharmed.
Family members of the Italian crew are said be worried that the Somali pirates may seek retaliation after American Navt SEALS killed three pirates who were holding an American merchant captain hostage.
Somali pirates on Tuesday seized another ship, the Greek-registered MV Irene E.M., bringing to nine the total they have taken so far this month.
