Private security fights off pirate attack on Spanish trawler

Private security fights off pirate attack on Spanish trawler
larger | smaller
By m.p. - Nov 29, 2009 - 6:35 PM

The Alakrana - EFE archive

The Ortube Berria came under fire from smalls arms and a rocket launcher in the Indian Ocean on Sunday

The Defence Ministry has confirmed that private guards on board a Spanish trawler fishing in the Indian Ocean repelled an attack by pirates early on Sunday, when the Ortube Berria was shot at from pirate skiffs when it was 230 miles south west of the Seychelles.

It’s understood the vessel came under fire from small arms and a rocket-propelled grenade shortly after 5.30 am and was chased by the skiffs for around 30 minutes before the Ortube Berria’s security guards managed to fight off the assault with returning fire. The Ministry said in a statement that none of the trawler’s crew were hurt nor was there any damage caused to the ship.

The commander of the EU’s Atlanta anti-piracy operation is understood to have then ordered the Portuguese frigate, the Álvarez Cabral, to the area where the attack took place, in place of the Spanish frigate, the Canarias, which the Ministry said was 600 miles to the north east of the site.

This latest attempted hijacking came less than two weeks after the Basque trawler, the Alakrana, and its 36-man crew were released after 47 days held in captivity by Somali pirates.

Click here for related stories

Un atunero vasco repele un ataque pirata

mobile |

email this article | print

printer friendly page

More Spain News : National

Readers' comments:
Please keep to the subject. Opinions published here are of our visitors, not the Typically Spanish team. Comments which go against Spanish laws or which are libellous are not allowed. We reserve the right to delete any comment we wish. Placing a comment indicates you have read our terms and conditions and privacy policy.

Por favor, céntrate en el tema. Son las opiniones de los internautas, y no las de Typically Spanish. No está permitido verter comentarios contrarios a las leyes españolas o injuriantes. Reservado el derecho a eliminar los comentarios que consideremos fuera de tema. Escribir un comentario indica que has leído nuestros condiciones de uso y politica de privacidad.