NAIROBI: Somali pirates seized a small Dutch vessel yesterday with at least eight crew, in the latest hijacking by gangs proliferating in the world's most dangerous waterways, a regional maritime group said.

"It was heading westbound through the Gulf of Aden when it was taken on Thursday morning," said Andrew Mwangura, of the Kenya-based East African Seafarers Assistance Program.

"The crew are said to be safe. We are hearing there are between eight and 18 crew members, it's not clear yet," he added, naming the boat as the 2,575-ton "Marathon", both owned and flagged from the Netherlands. It was carrying coke fuel.