The unidentified assailants of a Navibulgar bulker have steered the hijacked vessel close to Somalia's Puntland coast, under the constant watch of international navy vessels.

“Demands by the hijackers remain unknown,” EU naval force EUNAVFOR said in a statement on Tuesday updating on the situation of the 41,600-dwt Ruen (built 2016).

One of the ship's Bulgarian seafarers was released the day before for medical reasons.