▁Korean ▁chemical ▁tank er ▁. ▁In ▁response , ▁the ▁South ▁Korean ▁government ▁sent ▁a ▁destroy er ▁and ▁ 3 0 ▁naval ▁command os ▁to ▁re take ▁the ▁ship ▁and ▁rescue ▁its ▁crew . ▁After ▁trailing ▁the ▁tank er ▁for ▁several ▁days ▁and ▁fighting ▁a ▁pre lim inary ▁eng agement ▁that ▁neutral ized ▁four ▁of ▁the ▁pir ates , ▁the ▁South ▁Korean ▁forces ▁re to ok ▁the ▁ship ▁by ▁force ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁in ▁a ▁successful ▁board ing ▁action ▁that ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁eight ▁and ▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁five ▁out ▁of ▁th ir teen ▁pir ates . ▁ ▁Background ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁Norwegian - owned ▁chemical ▁tank er ▁Sam ho ▁Jew el ry ▁was ▁sail ing ▁through ▁the ▁Arab ian ▁Sea ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁Arab ▁Em ir ates ▁to ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁attacked ▁by ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁Som ali ▁pir ates ▁ ▁sout heast ▁of ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁Mus cat , ▁O man . ▁T ank er ▁captain ▁Se ok ▁H ae - gy un ▁changed ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁course ▁to ▁keep ▁in ▁international ▁waters ▁as ▁long ▁as ▁possible . ▁The ▁pir ates ▁eventually ▁seized ▁the ▁tank er ▁and ▁used ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁base ▁from ▁which ▁to ▁launch ▁attacks ▁on ▁other ▁ships . ▁The ▁South ▁Korean ▁operator ▁of ▁the ▁vessel , ▁the ▁Sam ho ▁Sh ipping ▁Company , ▁was ▁facing ▁huge ▁losses ▁because ▁it ▁was ▁oblig ated ▁to ▁continue ▁pay