The Italian Navy reported today that it took control of an Italian fishing boat hijacked last night in international waters off Libya.
The gunmen aboard a military tug with no flag or any signs from the Libyan government hijacked the fishing boat Airone some forty miles off the Libyan port of Misrata, taking the crew of three Italians and four Tunisians hostage.
The authorities were alerted by another fishing boat which was nearby at the time of the incident.
The Navy’s report does not specify if they encountered the hijackers, and there were no reports of shots fired, or injuries to either the military personnel or the boat’s crew, which are reportedly on their way to Italy.
World Maritime News Staff