No NATO vessels were in the region at the time of the attack , said Cmdr . NEW : The Pompei , a Belgian-registered ship , was one of two vessels attacked . A French naval vessel and an American oceanographic research ship, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) were also hit by small arms fire in international waters off Yemen. Islands where attack occurred are roughly 800 miles off Somali coast . Dutch naval forces captured seven pirates and freed 20 captive fishermen . Pirates were disarmed and freed because crew lacked jurisdiction to hold them .
NEW : The Pompei , a Belgian-registered ship , was one of two vessels attacked . A French naval vessel and an American oceanographic research ship, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) were also hit by small arms fire in international waters off Yemen. Islands where attack occurred are roughly 800 miles off Somali coast . Dutch naval forces captured seven pirates and freed 20 captive fishermen . Pirates were disarmed and freed because crew lacked jurisdiction to hold them .