UPDATED: Ambrey says fire exchanged between carrier and skiff southeast of Oman’s Salalah

DUBAI, Jan 27 (Reuters) – British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Saturday a security team on board a bulk carrier exchanged fire with armed individuals on a Somali-style skiff after it neared the vessel in a suspicious approach 700 nautical miles southeast of Oman’s Salalah.

“The skiff closed to 300 metres, before turning back towards a mothership,” Ambrey said in an advisory note, adding that the crew and vessel were reported to be safe.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) authority said it received a report of an incident involving a small craft and a merchant vessel 780 nautical miles east of Somalia’s Hafun.

It was not immediately clear if the UKMTO incident was the same as the one Ambrey reported.