ATHENS, Greece March 20, 2009 — Pirates have seized a Greek-owned cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, Greece's Merchant Marine Ministry said Friday.

The ministry said the St. Vincent-flagged Titan, with 24 crew members on board, was seized late Thursday night. Three of the crew members, including the captain, are Greek.

The Titan had been sailing from the Black Sea to Korea with a cargo of metal when it came under attack, the ministry said.

Last month, pirates in the same area seized another Greek-owned cargo ship with a 22-member crew.

Pirate attacks are frequent off the Somali coast, and have continued despite the presence of a large number of warships to protect commercial shipping.

Also Friday, the Turkish military said one of its warships foiled a pirate attack on a Turkish commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden.

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Metin Gurak said the cargo vessel reported on Thursday that it was being attacked by two fast-moving skiffs carrying pirates.

Gurak said the TCG Giresun immediately headed toward the region and sent a helicopter, foiling the attack.

The warship is part of the multinational task force designed to combat the pirates.

SOURCE: AP, March 20, 2009

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