A German frigate fired a warning shot towards Somali pirates attempting to hijack a Malta-registered freighter, the Defence Ministry in Berlin said Saturday, according to dpa. The pirates attempted to seize the MV Thor Spring on Friday in the Gulf of Aden, using small arms to shoot at its superstructure. The crew called on the nearby German frigate Augsburg for help. The Augsburg used one of its fixed guns to scare away the pirates, who turned back toward the Somali coast. An Italian warship sent a helicopter to observe the pirate speedboat. The Augsburg then resumed patrol duties as part of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), the Defence Ministry said. OEF intercepts terrorists using the sea between Somalia and the Arabian peninsula.
