( CNN ) -- China plans to make `` every effort to rescue '' a merchant ship and crew hijacked in the Indian Ocean , the country 's state news agency reported on Tuesday . The Chinese-owned bulk carrier De Xin Hai was hijacked on October 19 with 25 crew members on board . Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu , speaking to reporters , said the government was monitoring developments and has developed an emergency response procedure , the news agency Xinhua reported . Monday 's hijacking is the first of a Chinese ship this year , according to the International Chamber of Commerce 's International Maritime Bureau . Ma said the ministry warned ships and citizens to avoid traveling along waters where the incident occurred , an area not far from the Somalia coast where pirates have seized many vessels . See a live map of hijackings in 2009 . `` We will watch closely developments in the incident and make every effort to rescue the hijacked crew and carrier , '' Ma said . There are 25 crew members aboard and they are all Chinese nationals . A European Union official Monday incorrectly said the total of crew members was 146 . The bulk carrier De Xin Hai was hijacked Monday about 550 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles and 700 nautical miles off Somalia 's eastern coast . The European Union Naval Force said Tuesday the ship was 650 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia and appears to be headed toward there . See where the ship was hijacked » . John Harbour , a commander with the British Royal Navy who serves with the EU Naval Force , said the UK Maritime Trade Organization in Bahrain called the ship but received no response . An EU force aircraft is monitoring the ship and reported seeing four pirates on deck . The De Xin Hai is owned by the Chinese Ocean Shipping Company and was carrying coal from South Africa to India , Harbour said . Xinhua reported that the total capacity of the ship is 40,892 tons , and that the vessel is 225 meters ( 246 yards ) long . It said that the last time the ship sent a communication was at 4:35 a.m. EDT Monday ( 4:35 p.m. Beijing time ) . The ship was dragging two skiffs behind it , much like the kind of skiffs that pirates have been known to use to hijack ships in the waters off Somalia . So far in 2009 , 14 ships have been hijacked in the ocean off Somalia 's coast , and 33 have been hijacked in the Gulf of Aden , the body of water that lies between Yemen and Somalia , the International Maritime Bureau said . Most of Somalia 's coastline is on the Indian Ocean . At present , the bureau knows of four ships that are being held . CNN 's Olivia Sterns contributed to this report .
China monitoring developments , planning next move after ship hijacking . Bulk carrier De Xin Hai hijacked 550 nautical miles northeast of Seychelles . Comment: EU force aircraft monitoring the ship reported seeing four pirates on deck .