Laden Maersk aframax attacked in Gulf of Aden
A Maersk aframax tanker laden with crude oil was attacked in the Gulf of Aden on Monday.
There were 24 crew members reported to be on-board the Singapore-flagged 109,571 dwt Maersk Phoenix when it came under fire from pirates early afternoon local time Monday.
Coalition naval forces managed to avert a hijacking, reports said. The vessel was en-route from Sudan to Singapore.
A NATO statement, apparently in reference to the attack, said that “pirates armed with automatic weapons and RPG [rocket-propelled grenades] chased and fired upon a crude oil tanker and general cargo ships under-way.”
“Vessels increased speed, made evasive manoeuvres, zig-zag course, contacted on VHF Channel 16 coalition warships for assistance. Assistance from warships prevented the boarding,” the statement added.
According to Portuguese news agency Lusa it was Portuguese forces which came to the defence of the Maersk Phoenix.
The Corte Real reportedly opened fire on the pirates and arrested eight suspects before later releasing them, Lusa said.
Meanwhile, reports also said a VLCC was attacked in the southern region of the Red Sea last Friday.
Tradewinds quoted a source saying that the unidentified 302,000 dwt Panama-flagged supertanker was attacked in the Bab el Mandeb area in the afternoon local timewhile it was under-way with a cargo of crude oil.
Evasive manoeuvres by the VLCC are said to have averted a hijacking.
There were 24 crew members reported to be on-board the Singapore-flagged 109,571 dwt Maersk Phoenix when it came under fire from pirates early afternoon local time Monday.
Coalition naval forces managed to avert a hijacking, reports said. The vessel was en-route from Sudan to Singapore.
A NATO statement, apparently in reference to the attack, said that “pirates armed with automatic weapons and RPG [rocket-propelled grenades] chased and fired upon a crude oil tanker and general cargo ships under-way.”
“Vessels increased speed, made evasive manoeuvres, zig-zag course, contacted on VHF Channel 16 coalition warships for assistance. Assistance from warships prevented the boarding,” the statement added.
According to Portuguese news agency Lusa it was Portuguese forces which came to the defence of the Maersk Phoenix.
The Corte Real reportedly opened fire on the pirates and arrested eight suspects before later releasing them, Lusa said.
Meanwhile, reports also said a VLCC was attacked in the southern region of the Red Sea last Friday.
Tradewinds quoted a source saying that the unidentified 302,000 dwt Panama-flagged supertanker was attacked in the Bab el Mandeb area in the afternoon local timewhile it was under-way with a cargo of crude oil.
Evasive manoeuvres by the VLCC are said to have averted a hijacking.