(AP) A U.S. defense official says pirates have attacked a commercial ship near the coast of Nigeria and kidnapped two U.S. mariners.



The official spoke on condition of anonymity because this person wasn't authorized to publicly discuss the information. The official said Thursday that a captain and engineer were kidnapped in the Wednesday afternoon incident in international waters of the Gulf of Guinea close to Nigeria.



The official says the two kidnapped from the U.S.-flagged ship named C-Retriever were believed taken ashore to Nigeria.