Twenty-one Filipino sailors on board a ship off the coast of Yemen have been taken hostage by Somali pirates, Australia Network News reported.

Philippines officials are working with authorities in Bahrain to help resolve the latest abduction by Somali pirates.

The Filipino sailors were aboard the Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, MV Free Goddess, when Somali pirates boarded the vessel near Yemen's Socotra islands.

The captors are yet to make a ransom demand.

There are reportedly almost 50 Filipino sailors on board four vessels currently held by Somali pirates.

The Philippines has campaigned globally for maritime safety, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, as Filipinos make up an estimated one-third of sailors around the world.