A Vroon anchor-handler (AHTS) has been attacked by pirates off Yemen.
The 69-bp VOS Theia (built 2011) was lying off the Houthi rebel-controlled port of Hodeidah at the time of the incident over the weekend, Reuters cited port authorities as saying.
The ship was described as a UN aid vessel bringing in supplies under the World Food Programme (WFP).
The UN had said the attack resulted in a fire in the engine room, but Vroon said this was not the case.
A Vroon spokesman told TradeWinds the vessel was attacked by pirates while carrying out operations in the southern Red Sea.
"The crew performed very well and the attack has been successfully averted without injury to the crew nor damage to the vessel," it said.
"The story of a fire in the engine room is a hoax. Authorities were informed and the vessel has resumed operations.
"We are proud of the professionalism showed by our crew in this very difficult situation."
The vessel had delivered a shipment at the port, Yemen’s Red Sea Ports Corporation said.
A WFP spokeswoman said an unidentified armed group “aboard a skiff had opened fire and attempted to take over” the vessel that was 60km off the coast.
“Both the crew and the vessel are safe, with no injuries or obvious damage to the vessel,” spokeswoman Bettina Luescher said in a statement sent to Reuters.
The ship was waiting at anchorage for permission to leave from the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis.
