A Greek-owned oil tanker has apparently been hijacked off the coast of Oman by suspected Somali pirates.

Reports claim the Liberian-flagged ship Smyrni, carrying 135,000 metric tonnes of crude oil, was seized on Thursday in the Arabian Sea. A crew of eight is said to be on board the vessel.

A statement from the tanker owner, Dynacom Tankers Management, said it had received no communications from the ship since it was boarded.

The statement said: “Dynacom Tanker Management’s top priorities are the safe return of the ship and crew and the integrity of the cargo. All relevant authorities have been notified.”

Pirates plague the sea off the east coast of Africa but in recent times international efforts have been stepped up to prevent their attacks. This is apparently the first major successful hijacking of a tanker in a year.