Torm Republican clean tanker deters pirate attack in Arabian Sea
21 man Indian crew and the four British armed guards are safe Danish tanker group Torm said Friday its clean tanker Torm Republican successfully deterred a pirate attack in the Southern Arabian Sea."The Indian Master, his 21 man Indian crew and the four British armed guards are safe and suffered no injuries as they showed great skill in deterring the attack. No pirates were hurt either," the company said.The Danish-flagged MR tanker, with approximately 47,000 dwt, was en route to Taiwan on Thursday afternoon after loading naphtha at Port Suez when six pirates in a skiff "approached the vessel and opened fire," the company said. The four guards onboard "fired a number of warning shots into the water. This procedure followed closely Torm's Rules of Engagement. Following this the pirates abandoned their attack," the company said.The vessel and the cargo did not suffer any damages and the tanker continues its voyage, the company said.In a separate incident on Wednesday, a EU NAVFOR warship stopped and boarded a suspicious group of two small boats, a whaler and skiff off Somalia, the EU's antipiracy naval force said."Before the boats could be boarded by teams from FGS KOLN, the crew of the boats ...
Read more