An Italian merchant ship, the Jolly Smeraldo, escaped a pirate attack today while 300 southeast miles of the coast of Mogadishu, says La Repubblica.

The ship was approached by a boat with seven people on board, but managed to flee the attack with some diversionary manoeuvres. There are no reported wounded on board, despite the pirates having fired several shots at the ship.

“We were afraid, but we succeeded in getting to safety,” said the ship captain Domenico Scotto di Perta. “They moved quickly, and shot at us without incurring damages to the ship. Then, when they saw our tenacity, they decided to leave us alone.”  

The Jolly Smeraldo has a total of 24 crew members. 15 are Italian while the other nine are from Eastern Europe. The crew has been in touch with their families to reassure them of their safety.

Four days ago another Italian ship, a cruise ship, managed to foil a pirate attack. 

Posted by our contributor Alessandro Passanti