Kuala Lumpur: Somali pirates continue to plague the shipping industry with reports of one successful hijack and another foiled attempt in the new year.
Indian tanker saved from pirates
A Malaysian military helicopter saved an Indian tanker from being hijacked yesterday. The Indian captain sent an SOS, which was received by a Malaysian frigate which dispatched a military helicopter, he said.
On spotting the helicopter, the pirates stopped firing and fled. There were no injuries but the tanker sustained some damage.
However, the Egyptian-owned 7,923-dwt general cargo ship Blue Star was nabbed by 15 armed pirates as it entered the Gulf from the Red Sea. The vessel was carrying 6,000 tonnes of fertilizer. [2/1/09]
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