MOGADISHU, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) anti-piracy force (EUNAVFOR) said Friday that a Liberian-flagged merchant vessel, Basilisk, has been freed from suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia.

EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta, the EU counter-piracy naval force in the region, said the 17 crew members are safe after being hijacked on Thursday about 380 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, while sailing north.

"Thursday night, the Atalanta warship patrolling the area arrived, and the Atalanta forces went on board the vessel using the Fast-Rope technique from the helicopter," the EU naval force said in a statement.

It said that during the attack of the suspected pirates, one of the crew was injured but is in stable condition after being treated on board by Atalanta's medical team.

"Throughout the complete event, Operation Atalanta was in permanent contact with the ship-owner company and the flagship state," the statement said.

The incident came a month after warning of a return of pirate attacks on seas along the Somalia coastline.

The International Chamber of Commerce's International Maritime Bureau (IMB), in its April 10 report, urged shipping vessels to remain vigilant as they transit along the Somalia coastline and the Gulf of Aden, as piracy remains a threat despite attacks having declined since 2017. Enditem

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