Vietnam arrests 11 on hijacked Malaysian ship

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Vietnamese authorities have arrested 11 suspected pirates aboard a chemical tanker after the first hijacking of a vessel en route to Malaysia's Borneo island in years, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said on Friday.

Pirate attacks off Malaysia have dropped in recent years, following stepped up patrols and cooperation with neighbouring countries to secure the region's waterways.

"IMB hopes that the authorities will take action and investigate the incident to contain and stop this type of menace," said Mr Noel Choong, head of the bureau's Kuala Lumpur-based piracy reporting centre, adding that it was a "serious" concern.

The Malaysian-owned vessel lost communication on Saturday after leaving the country's southern Johor state, Mr Choong said.