Casualty reported on hijacked ship

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Authorities investigated a report Friday of a casualty aboard one of three ships hijacked this week near the Somalia coast.

The ship, a Malaysia tanker, was reported grabbed by pirates Tuesday in the Gulf of Aden between Somalia and Yemen.

Officials said they couldn't confirm the casualty, said to be a Filipino, but the rest of the crew was reported safe, Bernama, the Malaysian news agency, reported.

Two other ships, an Iranian cargo vessel and a Japanese-operated tanker, were hijacked off Somalia Thursday within an hour of each other.