Somali pirates have hijacked a Chinese fishing boat and taken its 18 crew members hostage, demanding a ransom for their release, local officials reported on Saturday.

The pirates, who had initially been hired to provide protection for the vessel, later turned on the crew, reinforcing their numbers with additional pirates.

It remains unclear when the ship was seized, but the European Union's anti-piracy force, Atalanta, raised alarm over the incident on Thursday. Mohamed Dini, a police officer from Eyl, a known pirate stronghold on Puntland's east coast, confirmed the hijacking and stated that the pirates were moving the vessel in search of a safe haven.

"The pirates are moving the ship off the coast ... they are looking for a safe haven," Dini said.

Ali Warsame, a local elder, shared that a Somali company acting on behalf of the boat's owners had offered a ransom of $300,000. However, the pirates rejected the offer, holding firm on their demand. Local fishermen reported seeing the hijacked boat near Eyl on Friday, but the pirates retreated into the sea to avoid detection by Puntland's coastguards.

Despite this, the pirates feared moving further into the ocean due to the presence of foreign military ships monitoring the area.

The European Union's Atalanta force, which is responsible for anti-piracy operations in the region, confirmed that the incident is being treated as an "armed robbery at sea" but reassured that the crew was unharmed.

This hijacking is part of a troubling rise in Somali piracy after several years of relative calm. In March, Somali pirates also hijacked a Bangladeshi cargo ship, demanding a hefty ransom for its release.

Experts believe these incidents highlight a resurgence of piracy in the Indian Ocean, as pirates exploit a security gap following the drawdown of international naval forces in the region.

As Somali piracy regains momentum, global concern grows about the safety of maritime shipping routes and the stability of the region.