An Italian merchant ship was attacked by pirates yesterday but managed to escape, ANSA news agency reported. It said the Jolly Smeralda was attacked by a boatload of seven pirates some 540 kilometres off Mogadishu but succeeded in evading them, the report said. None of the 24 crew was hurt.

The attack came days after an Italian cruise ship, the Melody, carrying more than 1,500 people, repelled an attempt to board when Israeli security guards on board ship responded to the pirates' gunfire. After the attack on the Melody nine suspected pirates were detained by a Spanish warship on Monday, and on Tuesday a Russian destroyer seized a boat with 29 Somali suspects.

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