Pirates fired at a tanker in the Gulf of Oman, about 40 nautical miles northeast of Muscat, last night but action by armed guards forced the raiders to withdraw.
The crew are safe, and there were no injuries or casualties.
"The pirate skiff was launched from a dhow believed to be under control of pirates," said P Mukundan, the director of the International Maritime Bureau.
"The pirate vessel is still believed to be in the area and poses a threat to shipping."
The loaded tanker was owned by a Danish company and its last port of call was Al Jubail in Saudi Arabia.
[ newsdesk@thenational.ae ]
