The 26-strong Chinese crew of a cargo ship repelled an attempted hijacking by pirates off the Somali coast in an attack that left one of the crew injured, the Chinese government said Friday.
The crew evaded several waves of attacks by the pirates on Thursday, the transport ministry said without giving the condition of the injured mariner or the crew's current whereabouts.
Last weekend, state media said pirates had seized a Panamanian-registered freighter carrying 29 Chinese sailors in the Arabian Sea.
According to the Xinhua news agency, the China Marine Rescue Centre had been unable to contact the ship's crew and the fate of the sailors remained unclear.
The waters of the Arabian Sea, at the northern tip of the Indian Ocean, have seen hundreds of pirate attacks in recent years.
The United Nations has warned that Somali pirates are becoming more brazen and are keeping ahead of an international naval force, including Chinese patrol boats, that is seeking to control them.
The pirates have kidnapped almost 100 new crew and passengers from ships in less than a month and there are now at least 438 seafarers and 20 ships held by bandits, according to the International Maritime Organization.
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