China said on Thursday it is doing everything it can to save crew members on two Korean fishing vessels hijacked off the Somali coast on Tuesday.

"For the Chinese government, the safety of the crew on the hijacked Republic of Korea vessels is a priority. The foreign ministry is coordinating with various countries to secure the release of all the crew," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu at a regular press conference.

An unidentified armed group, believed to be Somali pirates, seized the Yemen-bound fishing trawlers christened Mavuno I and Mavuno II.

The 22 crew members including 10 Chinese were aboard the Tanzanian-registered ships owned by ROK's Daechang Fishing Company when they were seized on Tuesday about 210 nautical miles (about 389 km) off the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

Source: Xinhua