Chinese-flagged ship off Yemen is safe, wasn't hijacked: officials

SANAA, Yemen - In response to earlier reports that a Chinese-flagged commercial ship was hijacked by Somali pirates off Yemeni coast, the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center said on Sunday that the ship had not been hijacked, and is now sailing safely with escort of the Chinese anti-piracy navy fleet.

The Tien Hau ship, which was registered in Hong Kong, China, and its 22-member crew, are safe, a search and rescue official confirmed to Xinhua. The center contacted the ship to make sure it was safe, he added.

The ship had been followed by a suspicious boat for a while, but it was never attacked or hijacked, the official said.