KIEV, Ukraine (AP) -- The Foreign Ministry says pirates have seized a Ukrainian-operated ship off Somalia.

The ministry says the Faina was sailing with 21 people on board under the Belize flag, though it is operated by Ukrainian managing company Tomax Team Inc.

The ministry says in a statement that the ship's captain reported being surrounded by three boats of armed men Thursday afternoon.

The ship's passengers include 17 Ukrainian citizens including the captain, as well as three Russians and one Latvian citizen.

The ministry had no information on the ship's cargo. But the Interfax news agency cited an unnamed source as saying the ship was loaded with about 30 T-72 tanks and spare parts for them.

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YARRRRRRR!

WE BE SEIZING YOUR ARMOURED HORSES YE SCURVEY DOGS!

That is so sweet! Pirates with tanks! Hope they don't come here...

That is so sweet! Pirates with tanks! Hope they don't come here...

damn, they are about to invade something totally hard. Prepare to get raped laddies.

Fun fact: There are usually 30 reports of piracy (and I mean sea-piracy, not these wussy modern-day torrent pirates) a month, and scaremongers claim that only an estimated third of all incedencies are reported.

wow. You're late. This has been on going for over a week now.

It is surrounded by US navy awaiting the arrival of a Russian frigate and there are currently on going negotiations for the US$20 million ransom the pirates want.

Pirates rule. They would totally destroy ninjas

Yeah, I saw that. I didn't see a thread for it though. The pirates aren't interested in the tanks, they just want the gold.

Thar be a battle a'brewin'.

On a side note - the Pastafarians have become much more dangerous.