Somolian pirates attempt attack on luxury cruise vessel

Two pirate boats violently attacked the US-owned Seabourn Spirit about 100 miles off the Somalian coast.

Pirates fired rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles as heavily armed bandits tried to get on board. The cruise ship escaped by moving at high speed and changing courses.

Andrew Linnington, a spokesman for Numast, the Merchant Navy officers' union, said there would be urgent talks with shipowners in London this week to discuss the problem of Somalia, claiming these incidents were close to being out of control.

Close?

Anarchist Somalia, which has had no government since 1991, according to Linnington, had 23 reported attacks since March this year, including two UN relief ships.

In the past 10 years hundreds of seaman have been killed and thousands injured in pirate attacks across the world.

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