Seventeen Filipino sailors on a Greek-owned bulk carrier were kidnapped by Somali pirates last Thursday, the Philippine government said Monday.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Ed Malaya said the ship with 24 men on board was en route to South Korea when it was seized by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden. Aside from Filipino sailors, three Greeks, three Romanians, and one Ukrainian seamen were also aboard.

Malaya said the latest hijacking brings the total number of Filipinos held by the pirates since November last year to 71.

He said the Philippine embassy in Nairobi was ordered to coordinate with proper authorities concerning the safety and well-being of the seamen.

Last year, 208 Filipinos on board 17 vessels were kidnapped by pirates in and around Somali waters.

Filipinos make up nearly 40 percent of the seamen around the world and are the largest bulk of victim in pirate attacks in recent months.

Source: Xinhua