NAIROBI: Somali pirates yesterday hijacked a US-flagged cargo ship with 20 American crew members onboard, hundreds of kilometers from the nearest American military vessel in some of the most dangerous waters in the world.

United Kingdom maritime officials have been able to contact the vessel and were told "everyone is OK," according to a US defense official in Washington who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record.

British maritime and defense officials did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.