New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) The Indian mission in Nigeria has taken up with the Nigerian government the kidnapping of an Indian crew on board a Hong Kong-flagged vessel near the Nigerian coast, official sources said.

Eighteen Indians on board a Hong Kong-flagged vessel were kidnapped by pirates near the Nigerian coast, said a global agency tracking maritime developments in the region.

"Our Mission in Nigeria has taken up the matter related to kidnapping of Indian crew members of the ship MT Nave Constellation off Bonny, Nigeria with Nigerian Government and Security agencies," an official source said.

According to ARX Maritime, which tracks movements of ships, said on its website that the ship was taken over by pirates on Tuesday and 19 people on board the vessel were kidnapped out of which 18 were Indians.

The Hong Kong-flagged 'VLCC, NAVE CONSTELLATION' was attacked by pirates during the evening hours of December 3 while transiting through Nigeria.

ARX Maritime provides commercial risk management for vessels trading in high-risk areas.

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