MV Asphalt Venture captured by pirates near Tanzania

(BRUSSELS2) A ship Norwegian flying the Panamanian flag, the MV Asphalt Venture, was captured by pirates in the Somali Basin, confirms the HQ of Atalanta, the European anti-piracy operation. This 3.884 ton ship was captured, in fact on the afternoon of September 29, when it was about 100 miles southeast of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). The change of course of the ship - which left Mombasa in Kenya was planned to arrive towards Durban - and the direction on the Somali coast aroused the attention of observers. Repeated radio calls have so far gone unanswered. Which confirms the capture. On board a crew of 15 Indians.

Another attack foiled the day before

(Updated) Another vessel narrowly escaped another attack off Tanzania on the afternoon of September 28. The MV Mississippi, a chemical tanker flying the Maltese flag, was attacked about 45 miles northeast of Dar es Sallam by pirates, with automatic weapons and RPG fire. He owed his salvation only to the presence of mind of the crew who practiced dodging maneuvers and the reinforcement of an Italian ship, the Libeccio, of the European anti-piracy force EUNavfor Atalanta, alerted by a French maritime patrol aircraft which was in the air nearby.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)