Secret Squirrel
06-16-2005, 05:57 PM
Pirates attacked a supertanker anchored close to the Basra oil terminal in Iraq early yesterday morning, a shipping company announced today.
Christer Martensson, the Basra port manager for Gulf Agency Company (GAC) told Times Online the attack occurred between 3 and 3.30 am on Wednesday morning.
Three men armed men were spotted aboard the tanker, but escaped when the alarm was raised. There were no casualties.
"It was one of the night watchmen that saw them," said Mr Martensson, "He saw three men armed with an assault weapon and knives. He also saw a rifle. He managed to alert the bridge and the duty officer. When that happened, the pirates fled the vessel, into a small speedboat I think."
The attempted raid is the latest in a series of attacks on the deep water oil terminal, which exports most of Iraq's crude oil.
Yesterday's boarding comes just two weeks after pirates armed with AK-47 rifles attacked the crew of the Nord Millenium, a supertanker that was waiting to load oil.
Last year the terminal was targetted by a suicide boat attacks apparently launched by al-Qaeda.
Mr Martensson said that coalition troops have been providing increased security around the terminal and that GAC would continue to serve the port...
link (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1656589,00.html)
Christer Martensson, the Basra port manager for Gulf Agency Company (GAC) told Times Online the attack occurred between 3 and 3.30 am on Wednesday morning.
Three men armed men were spotted aboard the tanker, but escaped when the alarm was raised. There were no casualties.
"It was one of the night watchmen that saw them," said Mr Martensson, "He saw three men armed with an assault weapon and knives. He also saw a rifle. He managed to alert the bridge and the duty officer. When that happened, the pirates fled the vessel, into a small speedboat I think."
The attempted raid is the latest in a series of attacks on the deep water oil terminal, which exports most of Iraq's crude oil.
Yesterday's boarding comes just two weeks after pirates armed with AK-47 rifles attacked the crew of the Nord Millenium, a supertanker that was waiting to load oil.
Last year the terminal was targetted by a suicide boat attacks apparently launched by al-Qaeda.
Mr Martensson said that coalition troops have been providing increased security around the terminal and that GAC would continue to serve the port...
link (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1656589,00.html)