European Union Vessel Reaches Ship Raided by Pirates Off Somalia; All 24 Crew Safe

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A European Union vessel has reached a ship taken by pirates off the coast of Somalia on Friday and found all its 24 crew members safe. The private security firm Diaplous Group stated that the ESA Victoria would stay with the Malta-flagged tanker Hellas Aphrodite until it could sail independently. The pirates captured the vessel on Thursday while it was transporting gasoline from India to South Africa. The European Union naval force hurried to reach the Malta-flagged tanker held by pirates off the Somali coast. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center warned about another attempted pirate approach in the same region.