LONDON, July 1 (Xinhua) -- The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Wednesday issued a warning after receiving reports that a merchant vessel had been approached by multiple small craft approximately 76 nautical miles south of Balhaf, Yemen.
According to the warning, the vessel's company security officer reported that several small boats carrying people with small arms approached the ship. The crew subsequently mustered in the vessel's citadel and were reported safe.
The UKMTO said the master of a third-party vessel nearby reported hearing small-arms fire over VHF Channel 16. The report, however, remains unconfirmed.
The agency said it is continuing to investigate the incident and has advised vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.
The latest incident comes amid a resurgence of suspected pirate activity in the Gulf of Aden, following a series of attacks and attempted boardings targeting merchant vessels in recent months. Enditem
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