The vessel was fired upon by men in a skiff, at which point the master raised the alarm, increased the vessel’s speed and altered course, mustering non-security personnel in its citadel, while onboard security personnel exchanged fire with the pirates. Following the returned fire, the pirates called off their attack.
The attack, which took place on 17 January, emerges as the first pirate incident of the year, after other reports of a hijacking of General cargo vessel Marzooqah turned out to be a boarding by Eritrean Border Guards.
The incident occurred merely days after the IMB issued a report stating that piracy was down to its lowest level in six years.
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