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Malaysians recover ship attacked by pirates

credit: Malaysian Navy

In a separate operation South Koreans, the Malaysian Navy also took offensive action against pirates on Friday night.

The Malaysian Navy auxiliary vessel, the Bunga Mas 5, was on an escort mission for a chemical tanker on MT Seri Balhaf and MT Bunga Laurel. It was around 23:40 p.m. Friday. And the ship was about 300 nautical miles east of Oman when a team of at least 7 pirates stormed in. The pirates fired AK47s and set foot on the merchant ship. The crew had just enough time to activate the "Ship Security Alert System" and take refuge in a secure room (the "citadel") inside the engine room.

The Malaysians who were close by, 14 miles from the incident, sprang into action. The objective was indeed to avoid the junction with the other pirates remained on the mother ship. As the Fennec helicopter took off to scout and guide the sailors, the ship approached the scene of the incident. Enough to allow his special forces to attack the Bunga Laurel and regain control. A few minutes were enough. Meanwhile, the Fennec kept the pirates from the mother ship at bay with intimidation shots. The 7 pirates were taken prisoner. 3 of them were injured during the attack and treated by the doctor on board the Fruit Mas indicates the Malaysian navy, which does not deplore any injuries in its ranks, it is officially indicated.

The chemical tanker's 23 crew members are also safe and sound. the MT Bunga Laurel, owned by the Malaysian International Shipping Corp (MISC), was transporting oil and ethylene dichloride from the Middle East to Singapore. He was able to resume his journey one day after the tragedy. Damage to the ship is considered minimal.

NB: The Malaysian Navy has been present in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden since June 2009 in an operation called "Dawn" Fruit Mas includes a crew of 21 sailors and 39 men divided into 4 protection teams (including six members of the special forces).

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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