PIRACY: Gulf of Aden - Monday, March 2, 2009
Yemen Coast Guard rescued an South Korean Tanker carrying 100,000 mt of diesel when it came under attack by armed Somali Pirates 47 nautical miles from Port Aden in Yemen.

The Yemen Coast Guard immediately dispatched a patrol boat from the Yemen Advanced Anti Piracy center in Ras Amran to assist two armed Yemeni Coast Guards who were already on board the Tanker to provide maritime security in cooperation with a maritime security company.

The two Yemeni Coast Guard officers returned fire when the five pirates started to shoot at the tanker. One pirate who prepared to fire an RPG (Rocket propelled grenade) at the tanker was reported killed and others were injured.

The pirates broke off the attack and fled from the scene and the tanker continued safely on its route towards the Red sea under escort by the Yemen Coast Guard.

The tanker sustained light damages including a broken light and a window and slight scratching of the tanker’s hull in several places.