Somali pirates fire at Kuwaiti oil tanker

Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau piracy reporting centre in Kuala Lumpur, told AFP pirates armed with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades launched the attack from a skiff off Somali waters.

"The Somali pirates chased the tanker and sprayed bullets early Wednesday in a bid to hijack the ship," he said.

"Fortunately, the tanker managed to escape the pirates," Choong said, adding there were no reports of injuries to the crew.

He urged seafarers to be on high alert as pirates were attacking ships on "all fronts."

"Pirates are expanding their areas of attack. They are now operating in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and in the Indian Ocean," he said.