Madrid - The Spanish government was Monday trying to release 26 fishermen whose boat was captured by pirates off Somalia in east Africa, foreign ministry sources said.

The crewmen, half of whom were Spaniards and half were Africans, were in good health, the captain told National Spanish Radio by phone.

A representative of the pirates said they wanted a ransom.

The Spanish government was trying to get in touch with the local authorities through its embassy in Kenya, which borders on Somalia. A Spanish frigate was which was navigating in the Red Sea was also heading for the area.

Four pirates accosted the 76-metres-long MS Playa de Bakio and attacked it with mortars when it was fishing for tuna about     450 kilometres off Somalia on Sunday. Nobody was believed to have been injured.

The pirates were taking the ship towards the coast.

The Spanish Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Environment were handling the situation. Spain informed NATO in case warships present in the area could intervene. (dpa)