A Malta-flagged tanker was boarded by pirates off the coast of Somalia in an attack involving machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, according to international reports.
The MV Hellas Aphrodite was boarded in the early hours of Thursday morning in an attack representing the first commercial capture by Somali pirates in over a year, and one feared to signify a resurgent pirate threat in the region, following a series of incidents in recent months.
The vessel’s crew of 24 were reported safe and accounted for.
The Malta-flagged cargo vessel was attacked while carrying fuel from Sikka, India to Durban, South Africa.
The operators of the MV Hellas Aphrodite, Latsco Marine Management Inc, said in a statement that it was in “close contact” with the crew, who are believed to have locked themselves in a compartment of the ship during the attack.
The firm said it had “activated its emergency response team and is coordinating with the relevant authorities to ensure the continued safety and welfare of the crew”, according to ABC News.
In an incident report posted to its website, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said the boat had been boarded after being approached by a small craft at its stern (rear).
“The small craft fired small arms and RPGs towards the vessel. Unauthorised personnel of the small craft have boarded the vessel”, the agency said, while warning vessels in the area to exercise caution.
The agency last reported an attack against a ship in the region on Monday, when it said four people tried to board a vessel located around 332 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, Somalia.
France’s Maritime Information Cooperation and Awareness Centre called Thursday’s attack and other recent incidents “unprecedented”, ABC News reported. “Pirates are agile, determined, move between areas and have real reach.”