MV MISSISSIPPI Star evades pirate attack in Somali Basin

Sep 28, 2010 - 15:55
On the afternoon of 28 September, MV Mississippi, en route to Dar Es Salaam was attacked by a pirate skiff. The pirates, firing automatic rifles and RPGs, attacked the vessel 45 nautical miles north east of Dar es Salaam.

Mississippi Star took evasive action and escaped the attack. EU NAVFOR French Maritime Patrol Aircraft provided observation and the EU NAVFOR Italian warship Libeccio, which was in the vicinity, proceeded to the scene and is monitoring the situation. The Tanzanian Navy in Dar Es Salaam were alerted to the incident.

The MV Mississippi Star, Malta Flagged, is a chemical product tanker with deadweight of 13, 054 tonnes and a crew of 18. The vessel had been proceeding from Mombasa when attacked; no injuries have been reported.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme (WFP) and vessels of  African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf  of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

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