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UAE anti-terrorist unit takes ship from pirates | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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CAIRO, (AP) – An anti-terrorist unit from the United Arab Emirates has wrested control of a ship from pirates in the Arabian Sea, state-run media reported Saturday.

The bulk carrier MV Arrilah-1 came under attack at dawn Friday while en route from Australia to Dubai’s Jebel Ali port, according to the WAM news agency.

The agency said Saturday the UAE’s special forces, backed by the air force, regained control of the ship off the coast of neighboring Oman. The pirates surrendered as the troops boarded the UAE-flagged ship, which is owned by the Abu Dhabi National Tanker Company.

The pirates are under guard and will be handed over to Emirati authorities on arrival at Jebel Ali, WAM quoted an official as saying.

Cmdr. Amy Derrick-Frost, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, said they were aware of a “piracy event” but had no other details. The 5th Fleet is based in the gulf nation of Bahrain and is involved in efforts to fight piracy emanating from Somalia.

The WAM report did not say whether the pirates involved were from Somalia.