A merchant vessel was attacked in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia on October 16th, reported United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The vessel was transiting the area at the time. Shots were fired at the unnamed ship from a skiff that was following the vessel. The armed guards on board the ship returned fire, causing the gang from the skiff to depart.
The Master of the unnamed vessel confirmed to UKMTO that the vessel was safe. There has not been a reported attack ona merchant vessel off Somalia since February, when chemical oil products tanker Leopard Sun (IMO 9635781) was fired on by pirates in two skiffs nearly 100 miles off the central coast of Somalia. Once again an onboard private security team returned fire with warning shots and the skiffs eventually gave up and departed (IMN, February 26th 2018).