Pirates have failed to hijack a Euronav-owned VLCC which was involved in a deadly collision off China over two months ago.



There are, however, fears that a German multi-purpose vessel as well as a Tunisian tanker may have been captured after coming under attack in the Indian Ocean on Thursday morning, TradeWinds has learned.

Euronav's VLCC Flandre was targeted by pirates on Thursday.

A faulty outboard engine may have saved the 305,700-dwt Flandre (built 2004) when it was set upon by an unknown number of pirates. It is not known if any shots were fired but the attackers are believed to have called off their assault after the engine on their skiff broke down.



There are no reports of any damage to the ship or injuries to the crew which is likely to number 25.



The France-flagged tanker was involved in a collision with the stone carrier Hua Chi 8 off China at the end of August in an incident which sunk the latter vessel and left six people missing.



Just after midnight GMT on Thursday pirates tried to hijack the 17,355-dwt multi-purpose vessel BBC Orinoco (built 2008) in the southern part of the Arabian Sea. It was initially thought that the Antigua & Barbuda-flagged ship, which is owned by Freese Reedereigruppe of Germany, was safe but informed sources cannot confirm that it has escaped hijacking.



The situation involving the 24,100-dwt products tanker Hannibal II (built 1983) remains unclear with the incident described as “ongoing” and the ship not yet confirmed as safe. The Panama-flagged ship is owned by Tunisia’s Gabes Marine Tankers.



Thursday’s incident involving the Flandre comes less than a week after pirates freed the 319,400-dwt, South Korean VLCC Samho Dream (built 2002) for a ransom reportedly over $9m.