Post by Michael on Feb 8, 2011 8:10:25 GMT -5
Pirates in Indian Ocean seize Italian oil tanker
Italian oil tanker Mv Savina Caylyn The Savina Caylyn is now said to be heading towards the Somali coast
Pirates have boarded and taken control of an Italian oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, the Italian navy has said.
The pirates fired shots at the Savina Caylyn during the attack, some 500 miles (800km) off the coast of India and 800 miles (1,300km) from Somalia.
A navy spokesperson said that no-one had been hurt among the crew of 17 Indians and five Italians.
EU naval forces said the attack on the tanker took place east of the Yemeni island of Socotra.
The ship is carrying a load of crude oil and was destined for Pasir Gudang port in Malaysia, Reuters reports.
An Italian navy frigate was heading to the scene but remains some 600 miles away and is expected to take several days to arrive, Italian media reports say.
The EU said the tanker was taken by a single skiff with five pirates on board.
A spokesman for the EU naval force said the tanker was currently sailing west, towards the Somali coast, the AFP news agency reports.
Somali pirates have made millions of dollars in recent years by capturing cargo vessels in the shipping lanes around the Horn of Africa.
Italian oil tanker Mv Savina Caylyn The Savina Caylyn is now said to be heading towards the Somali coast
Pirates have boarded and taken control of an Italian oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, the Italian navy has said.
The pirates fired shots at the Savina Caylyn during the attack, some 500 miles (800km) off the coast of India and 800 miles (1,300km) from Somalia.
A navy spokesperson said that no-one had been hurt among the crew of 17 Indians and five Italians.
EU naval forces said the attack on the tanker took place east of the Yemeni island of Socotra.
The ship is carrying a load of crude oil and was destined for Pasir Gudang port in Malaysia, Reuters reports.
An Italian navy frigate was heading to the scene but remains some 600 miles away and is expected to take several days to arrive, Italian media reports say.
The EU said the tanker was taken by a single skiff with five pirates on board.
A spokesman for the EU naval force said the tanker was currently sailing west, towards the Somali coast, the AFP news agency reports.
Somali pirates have made millions of dollars in recent years by capturing cargo vessels in the shipping lanes around the Horn of Africa.