Somali pirates have hijacked three Thai fishing vessels operating from Djibouti.
There were 77 Thai crewmembers on board the vessels, according to Commander John Harbour at the European Union's Naval Force Maritime Security Centre in London.
The hijacking took place over 1,000 nautical miles east of the African coast.
"Since the European Union Naval Force arrived in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin in the Indian Ocean back in December 2008, this is the farthest hijacking that we're aware of. In fact, it's closer to the Indian coast than it is to the Somali coast," Commander Harbour said.
Due to patrols by EUNAVFOR, pirates have been forced to venture further out.
The Seafarers' Assistance Programme estimates that there are some 1,500 active pirates working for seven major syndicates in the waters between India and Africa.
