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The tanker was on its way from the UAE, an official says

6 of the 18 on board are Italian, the ship's owners say

CNN  — 

An Italian tanker with 18 people on board was hijacked off the coast of Oman, officials said Tuesday.

The chemical product tanker, Enrico Ievoli, was on its way from the United Arab Emirates to the Mediterranean Sea when it was seized, according to the company that owns the ship. It was carrying caustic soda.

Of the 18 people on board, six are Italian nationals, five are Ukrainian and seven are Indian, the company – Marnavi – said.