Somalia : Two pirate attacks within minutes

According to CNN, pirates attacked a cargo vessel near the Seychelles, one of two attacks, which took place within minutes of each other off the coast of east Africa, states the European Union Naval Force. The crew of the Panama-flagged MV AL Khaliq said two pirates had boarded the vessel before communication was cut off with the crew. The EU confirmed that six pirates boarded the 180 meters long bulk carrier, with two attack skiffs in tow. A second attempted hijacking took place at approximately the same time, but the Italian ship, the MV Jolly Rosso, evaded the attack, 740 km east of Mombassa. From January 1st until September 30th, pirates worldwide mounted 306 attacks, compared with 293 in all of 2008.