VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – A Malta-registered oil and chemical tanker was boarded by armed pirates off the coast of Somalia on Thursday while sailing from Sikka, India, to Durban, South Africa, according to maritime authorities and the vessel’s operator.
The Hellas Aphrodite, managed by Greek company Latsco Marine Management, came under fire from assailants wielding machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The company reported that all 24 crew members were unharmed and fully accounted for.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations office issued an alert soon after the attack, warning vessels in the region to heighten vigilance. UKMTO said the ship’s master had spotted a small craft approaching from the stern before gunmen opened fire.
Security firm Ambrey stated that the attackers were Somali pirates using a skiff launched from an Iranian fishing vessel they had hijacked earlier. The group reportedly succeeded in boarding the tanker before withdrawing.
The incident follows an attempted attack on 3 November involving the Cayman Islands-flagged Stolt Sagaland. That vessel exchanged gunfire with pirates, but its operator, Stolt-Nielsen, confirmed the attack was unsuccessful.
VesselFinder.com data lists the Hellas Aphrodite as a 183-metre oil and chemical tanker built in 2016. Maritime authorities continue to monitor increased pirate activity in the region.
-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).
