BERLIN (AP) — A German shipping company says pirates have boarded one of its vessels and abducted eight crew members off the coast of West Africa.

MC-Schiffahrt said on its website that pirates attacked the MarMalaita late Wednesday while it was anchored off Douala, Cameroon.

German news agency dpa reported Friday that three of those abducted are Russian citizens, citing the foreign ministry in Moscow.

MC-Schiffahrt, based in Hamburg, said it has assembled an emergency response team and is working with "all relevant authorities" to free its crew.