The Government appealed for the immediate release of the hijacked crew of a giant oil tanker - including two Britons - as the vessel anchored off the coast of Somalia.
Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth said the seizure on Saturday of the fully-laden oil tanker by pirates 420 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia was of deep concern.
The Foreign Office confirmed that one of the British nationals on board the Saudi-owned Sirius Star is the tanker's chief engineer and the other holds the rank of second officer.
"Alongside our international partners, Her Majesty's Government is deeply concerned, not least because two of the crew are British," Mr Ainsworth said, speaking from Kenya. "Our thoughts are with the men and their families at this difficult time. We call on those holding the men to release them and the rest of the crew immediately."
His call came as the US Navy confirmed that the vessel, carrying around two million barrels of oil, has anchored off the coast of Somalia near the city of Harardera.
The vessel's operator, Dubai-based Vela International Marine Ltd, said the 25 crew on board - two Britons, two Poles, one Croatian, one Saudi national and 19 Filipinos - were believed to be safe. The company said the pirates had opened negotiations. It added that it was working to secure the release of the supertanker and her crew.
A statement from the president of Vela International Marine Ltd, Salah Kaaki, said: "Our first and foremost priority is ensuring the safety of the crew. We are in communication with their families and are working towards their safe and speedy return. Vela continues to monitor the situation and co-ordinate with the relevant embassies at this time. Vela is awaiting further contact from the pirates in control of the vessel.
"In view of the sensitive nature of this matter and in the interests of the safety of the crew on board, Vela will make no further public comments on this incident until further notice."
The large oil tanker is owned by Saudi oil company Aramco but was sailing under a Liberian flag. It is 1,080ft (330m) long and can carry about two million barrels of oil.
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The Rail Maritime and Transport union, which represents seafarers, urged the Government to push for expansion of patrolling and escorts to help counter the threat of piracy. General secretary Bob Crow said: "The growth of piracy is a threat faced by the shipping industry on a global scale, and it requires a global response."
