Updated 8pm
Initial communication has been made with the Malta-flagged ship Reun with the crew's health status reported "satisfactory".
Transport Malta said in a statement on Saturday evening that the ship, believed to have been hijacked, was on it way towards the Somali coast.
The European Union and India both dispatched vessels to the Arabian sea on Friday to intercept the vessel. When they did, they established initial communication.
They will now continue to monitor the vessel's movements closely as it navigates towards the northeast Somali coast despite adverse weather conditions in the area, TM said.
The MV Ruen was carrying 18 crew members when it sent a Mayday message late on Thursday indicating that it was boarded by six unknown people while off the coast of Somalia.
Transport Malta, which regulates Maltese shipping, said on Friday that it was monitoring the ship following a “possible security incident”.
On Saturday evening, TM said it is coordinating with the Armed Forces of Malta in liaison with the European Naval Force Somalia Operation Atalanta and other government-competent entities and their respective international partners.
"The ship was noted to have encountered difficulties in the Arabian Sea on the morning of December 14, while underway to Turkey," TM said on Friday.
Britain’s maritime body UKMTO said that it had received a report from a ship's security officer who believed the crew was no longer in control of the vessel.
If confirmed, the hijacking would be the first such incident involving Somali pirates since 2017, when a concerted effort by international navies ended a spate of similar hijacks.
The EU’s counter-Somali piracy force, EUNAVFOR, said that it has dispatched the Spanish-flagged Victoria to the area. “Based on first information available on MV Ruen, the EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA flagship Spanish Ship Victoria is proceeding fast towards the alleged pirate-hijacked vessel to gain more awareness and evaluate following actions,' the EU's force said in a statement to Reuters.
India was also quick to respond to the incident.
In a statement reported by Indian news outlets, India’s navy said it had diverted its naval maritime patrol aircraft undertaking surveillance in the area and its warship on anti piracy patrol in the Gulf Aden to locate and assist the Malta-registered ship.
"The Indian Navy remains committed to being a first responder in the region and ensuring safety of merchant shipping, along with international partners and friendly foreign countries," it added.
The Ruen is managed by Bulgaria's Navigation Maritime Bulgare and its 18-person crew is made up of people from Bulgaria, Angola and Myanmar.