WASHINGTON A presidential spokesman said today the White House is assessing a course of action to resolve the hijacking of a U.S.-flagged ship off the coast of Somalia.

Press secretary Robert Gibbs said this morning the White House was monitoring the incident closely.

"Our top priority is the personal safety of the crew members on board," Gibbs said.

The White House offered no other immediate details about what actions it was considering.

Somali pirates today hijacked the U.S.-flagged cargo ship with about 20 American crew members aboard, hundreds of miles from the nearest U.S. military vessel in some of the most dangerous waters in the world.

It is the first pirate attack against American citizens in recent memory.

By The Associated Press