Pirate attack on liner foiled

AN Italian cruise ship with 1,500 people on board fended off a pirate attack far off the coast of Somalia when its Israeli private security forces exchanged fire with the bandits and drove them away.

The ship’s commander told Italian state radio yesterday that six men in a small white speed boat approached the Msc Melody and opened fire “like crazy” on Saturday night, but retreated after the Israeli security officers aboard the cruise ship returned fire.

None of the roughly 1,000 passengers and 500 crew members were hurt.

Domenico Pellegrino, head of the Italian cruise line, said Msc Cruises hired the Israelis because they were the best trained security agents, the ANSA news agency reported.