Philippine Coast Guard Thwarts Pirate Attack
On Tuesday, suspected pirates launched an attack on the geared bulker Ocean Kingdom off of Zamboanga, Mindanao.
According to MANA, this was the second attack on a merchant vessel near Basilan in two months.
A spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard told Inquirer.net that two speedboats approached the Kingdom and opened fire at her bridge. Coast Guard assets arrived on scene and engaged the pirates, and after a firefight, the attackers retreated. No casualties were reported.
The Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia are actively fighting Abu Sayyaf kidnappings and piracy in the waters of the Sulu and Celebes Sea.