According to European Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Somalia, which is fighting piracy off the Somali coast, m.v. Eagle was “attacked and pirated by a single skiff, with [the] pirates firing small arms and a rocket propelled grenade before boarding the vessel.”
The attack occurred in the piracy-infested Gulf of Aden, 490 nautical miles south of Salalah in Oman, said a EUNAVFOR media release.
The bulk carrier, which is Cypriot-flagged, was on its way from Aqabar in Jordan to the port of Paradip in Orissa when it came under attack.
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The EUNAVFOR also stated that that there had been no contact with the ship since the attack. The vessel has deadweight of 52,163 tonnes and a crew of 24 Filipinos.
Meanwhile, Somali pirates on Sunday released a Greek-owned vessel and its crew of 18 Filipinos after six months of captivity.
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The Marshall Islands-flagged m.v. Motivator, which was pirated in the Southern Red Sea in early July, was released approximately 160 nautical miles south-west of the island of Socotra near the Somali coast, the EUNAVFOR said.
Unconfirmed reports say that a hefty sum was paid as ransom to get the vessel released from pirate custody.
Ensuring safe passage
The EUNAVFOR's anti-piracy task force escorts merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia . It also ensures safe passage for vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.