Fire exchanged between carrier and skiff in Arabian Sea, Ambrey and UKMTO say

A security team on a bulk carrier exchanged fire with armed individuals on a skiff after it came suspiciously close to the vessel in the Arabian Sea, British maritime monitors said on Saturday.

“The skiff closed to 300 meters, before turning back toward a mothership,” security firm Ambrey said in an advisory note, adding that the carrier and its crew were reported to be safe. It said the incident took place 700 nautical miles southeast of Salalah in Oman.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) authority said it received a report of an incident involving a small craft and a merchant vessel 780 nautical miles east of Hafun in Somalia.

The small craft came within 300 meters of the vessel, UKMTO said, adding that the onboard security team fired warning shots and after an exchange of fire the small craft retreated.