Private security of Basque trawler avoids pirate attack

Officials say pirates attacked another  Basque fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean with small arms and a rocket-propelled grenade but private security guards aboard the ship drove them off with gunfire.

The Spanish Defence Ministry said that on Sunday, two skiffs chased the ship  Ortube Berria for about 30 minutes before security guards stationed on it opened fire and fended them off.

The statement said none of the ship's crew members were hurt during the attack, about 265 miles (430 kilometres) southwest of the Seychelles Islands.

The trawler's captain, Iker Barbas, said there were about four people in each of the skiffs and they were going fast enough to have caught up with the trawler eventually.