A Dutch tanker has been fired on by pirates in the Indian Ocean. The ship, the Jo Cedar, was sailing to Tanzania.

The pirates attacked the tanker with machine guns. No one was injured but the ship sustained some minor damage. The tanker managed to fend off the pirates by increasing speed and carrying out evasive manoeuvres.

The Jo Cedar had safely passed through the area notorious for pirates off the coast of Somalia by sailing in convoy with other ships. The pirates struck shortly after it had left the convoy.