US Navy warns ships off Somali pirate coast

LONDON, May 21 (Reuters) The US Navy has warned merchant ships to keep clear of the Somali coast after a string of attacks, including one last week where militia fired on a vessel with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns.

The warning, issued through the US Navy's Maritime Liaison Office (MARLO) in Bahrain yesterday, urged all merchant ships to stay at least 200 nautical miles off the east coast of Somalia.

''Although there are coalition forces operating in the area, they cannot be everywhere monitoring every ship that passes the coast of Somalia,'' MARLO said.

It urged merchant shipping to inform coalition forces of any suspicious activity immediately.

The United Nations yesterday called for international action against a ''plague of piracy'' off Somalia, saying it was threatening to cut off vital aid supplies to one million people.

The International Maritime Bureau watchdog today gave details of two incidents that took place last week around 200 nautical miles (370 km) off the coast of Somalia, marking a serious escalation in the pattern of attacks because they threatened trade lanes.

The cargo ship Ibn Younus was on its way from Durban in South Africa to Jebel Ali in the Gulf when it was fired on with grenade launchers.

The IMB said none of the crew were injured in the attack, but the accommodation section was hit and caught fire. The vessel later managed to shake off its attackers.

In the other attack, gunmen captured two South Korean ships and took scores of crew hostage. The crews, who included Koreans, Chinese, Vietnamese and Indians, are still being held.

Piracy has been rife off Somalia since it slid into chaos after warlords toppled military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. Many pirates claim to be ''coastguards'' protecting their waters against illegal fishing and dumping of toxic waste.

The attacks have been on the rise since Islamists, who controlled most of south Somalia in the second half of 2006, were ousted in January.

REUTERS SKB KP1956