Pirates in Indian Ocean seize Italian oil tanker

Pirates in Indian Ocean seize Italian oil tanker

8 February 2011 Last updated at 14:57 GMT

To read the complete version of this article, please click here.

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 800km (500 miles) off the coast of India and 1,300km (800 miles) 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 off the Yemeni island of Socotra.

The EU said the tanker was taken by a single skiff with five pirates on board. An Italian coastguard officer said the ship took evasive action but came under sustained fire from the pirates before they boarded the vessel.

The 105,000-tonne ship was carrying a load of crude oil from Marsa Bashayer in Sudan and was destined for Pasir Gudang port in Malaysia.

To read the complete version of this article, please click here.

ENDS

© Scoop Media