SUEZ, Egypt, June 8 (Reuters) - Gunmen are holding 23 Egyptian fishermen after attacking their boat in international waters off Eritrea's Red Sea coast, an official with Egypt's fishing syndicate said on Friday. Bakri Aboul Hassan, head of the syndicate's office in Suez where the captured boat is registered, said the fishermen were taken captive on their boat after coming under heavy gunfire a week ago while fishing near the Horn of Africa nation.

He said attackers on speedboats had forced the Egyptian fishing vessel into Eritrean territorial waters before boarding the boat and taking the crew captive.

"The captain of the captured boat, Abu Zakaria, called us and confirmed that they were taken captive a week ago by unknown armed Eritreans," Aboul Hassan told Reuters.

An Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment. Aboul Hassan said he was unaware of the identity of the gunmen or their motives for holding the ship and its crew, and had not received any demands. Last month, about 70 Egyptian fishermen were detained for fishing in waters belonging to the semi-autonomous Puntland region of northeastern Somalia without permission. They were ultimately released after Egypt agreed to pay a $250,000 fine.

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