LONDON, October 17. /TASS/. A tanker transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) was attacked off the Yemeni coast, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center under the Royal Navy said.

"UKMTO has received a report of an incident 140NM southwest of Al Mukalla, Yemen," the organization said in a statement. "A Master of an LNG Tanker has reported being approached by a small skiff with seven persons onboard. The skiff fired two shots at the tanker whose armed Security Team fired two warning shots at the small skiff which forced them to alter course."

The name of the ship and its port of registry were not specified.