The French trawler towing the Costa Allegra has been in the news before, this from March 2010 quote: Cmdr. John Harbour of the European Union Naval Force said a spike in attacks was very likely in coming weeks. But this season, ship owners and sailors are more prepared to try to evade pirates, fight back, or have armed security onboard, raising the likelihood of violence.
"We know the monsoon is over. We know they're coming," Harbour said. "We're taking the fight to the pirates."
In the most serious skirmish Friday, six pirates attacked a vessel before breaking off and chasing the French fishing boat Torre Giulia, Harbour said. Two other French fishing vessels nearby