Container ship escapes pirate attack off Tanzania coastline

By Philip Mwakio

Quick action by the captain of a Kenyan-bound container ship deterred a pirate attack in the high seas off the Tanzania Coastline.

The vessel was 130 nautical miles off the Tanzania Coast and about 380 miles from the port of Mombasa. MV Peggy, currently at the port of Mombasa came under attack on the evening of May 13.

The skipper of the ship owned and operated by MSC Mediterrenean Shipping Company, Captain Mazurkin Alexander told Move It aboard the vessel that he alongside two officers manoeuvred the vessel steadily and prevented the pirates from forcefully boarding the ship.

"It was impossible for the them to come closer to us. We increased speed and for about one hour, the pirates who were in a skiff (small boat) started firing automatic weapons at our vessel," Captain Alexander said.

He showed Move It damage to the vessel’s accommodation block and the bridge where bullets had been fired at and even Rocket Propelled Grenades launched.

The rest of the crew took cover inside the engine room as the vessel skidded into safety when darkness approached.

"Visibility on their part become poor as we had also switched off all the lights on the vessel," the captain said.

He, however described the damage as minimal, adding that repair work has already started in earnest.

"We are lucky that none of the crew was injured during the ordeal," the master skipper who has 25 years experience of sea navigation said.

The ship was coming from Port Jaber- El Ali in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and was scheduled to sail into Mombasa then move to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania before venturing out to India.