Pirates trying to hijack a ship off the coast of Somalia were baffled when they clambered aboard to find it deserted and the engines dead.
The armed gang swarmed on to the German-owned ship on Wednesday, hoping to extract a hefty ransom for the sailors and cargo.
But the 11 crew members had seen them coming, and had time to kill the engines and flee to a specially built safe room.
Once there they were able to keep in touch with the ship's owners as the pirates wandered around the vessel, becoming increasingly frustrated.
Eventually the hijackers found an emergency communications channel that allowed them to speak directly to the shipping line's owners in Germany.
Operator Juergen Salamon said: The pirates had entered a ship that they couldn't steer and there was no crew.
They asked us where the crew was. We told them: 'They're on leave'.
The pirates were angry and vandalised the ship badly.
http://bit.ly/a3Y3ly
The armed gang swarmed on to the German-owned ship on Wednesday, hoping to extract a hefty ransom for the sailors and cargo.
But the 11 crew members had seen them coming, and had time to kill the engines and flee to a specially built safe room.
Once there they were able to keep in touch with the ship's owners as the pirates wandered around the vessel, becoming increasingly frustrated.
Eventually the hijackers found an emergency communications channel that allowed them to speak directly to the shipping line's owners in Germany.
Operator Juergen Salamon said: The pirates had entered a ship that they couldn't steer and there was no crew.
They asked us where the crew was. We told them: 'They're on leave'.
The pirates were angry and vandalised the ship badly.
http://bit.ly/a3Y3ly
