Italian forces storm, secure Turkish ship after ‘illegal migrants’ attempt hijack

Italian special forces on Friday successfully regained control of a Turkish ship that had been attacked by armed stowaways, generally migrants, off the southern city of Naples.

The development was confirmed by Italy’s defense minister as he addressed a news conference.

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said the operation was still underway and that Italian forces were securing the safety of the 22 crew members aboard the “Galeta Seaways” while rounding up the stowaways.

“An operation is underway on a vessel boarded by pirates. The stowaways were using what seemed to be weapons like daggers to threaten the crew,” Crosetto told reporters.

“The San Marco battalion had to intervene,” he said.

Meanwhile, a video on social media showed the moment when the Italian special forces intervened to free the hijacked Turkish ship.

For the operation, the special forces lowered themselves onto the Turkish ship from two helicopters, to free crew held by about 15 stowaways, two or three armed with sharp objects, Crosetto said.

The captain had sounded an alarm soon after the stowaways, whose nationality has not been disclosed, had moved to take control of the cargo ship.