Description

UPDATE Jan 29,2010:
NL warship DE RUYTER,together with Australian MPA and Russian warship ADMIRAL VINOGRADOV, boarded vessel on Jan 29. According to NATO, pirates had tried without succes to break open the citadel where the crew had retreated to.

Pirates in four skiffs launched from a mother vessel armed with RPG and guns chased a tanker underway. The tanker increased speed, enforced anti piracy measures, all crew went into citadel. Four unarmed security guards fired rocket flares; however pirates were able to board the tanker. Master contacted the owners from the citadel. Owners contacted the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre and requested for assistance. The centre immediately contacted the authorities and relayed the tanker’s request for assistance. A Dutch warship was despatched to the location to render necessary assistance to the crew and tanker. On 29.01.2011 at 0600 UTC the Dutch navy boarding team boarded the tanker and rescued the 23 crew and four security guards from the citadel. The pirates escaped before the arrival of the warship. The warship remained the vicinity of the tanker.
(IMB)
http://www.icc-ccs.org/home/piracy-reporting-centre/live-piracy-report/details/57/49

LONDON (Dow Jones)--An oil product tanker laden with naphtha was pirated in the Indian Ocean earlier Friday, the vessel's managers confirmed to Dow Jones Newswires.

The New York Star was sailing from the Saudi Arabian port of Rabigh to Singapore when it was boarded by pirates at around 0600 GMT, said Cor Radings, a spokesman for CST, the Hamburg-based managers of the ship.

"A number of naval vessels operating in the area are attending to the New York Star," Radings added.

The ship, which was built in 2006, has a crew of 27 on-board, he said.

Ship brokers in Europe said the volume of the New York Star's cargo was 55,000 tons and that the ship was chartered by Noble Group Ltd. (N21.SG).
(DOW JONES)
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110128-711976.html

WARNING SOMALI BASIN
Latitude: 11°14N Longitude: 063°28E
Alert Number 67/2011
At 1041 UTC 28 Jan 2011 a merchant vessel currently under attack by pirates in the above mentioned position.
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2 Dhows reported, one in position 1127N 06348E at 1033 UTC (observed involved in attack on MV NEW YORK STAR) and the 2nd in positionn 1119N 06337E at 1033 UTC with 2 skiffs onboard; other tripwires also observed.
(NATO Shipping Centre)