Canadian ship fends off attack by Libyan boats

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This article was published 13/05/2011 (4341 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MISRATA, Libya — A Canadian warship has helped fend off an attack by Libyan forces on the port city of Misrata despite coming under fire itself.

A statement from NATO says the frigate HMCS Charlottetown was conducting patrols with other allied vessels when a number of fast, small boats launched an attack.

The statement says the Charlottetown acted with a British Destroyer with support from a French warship as it forced the boats to abandon their attack.

The frigate came under fire during the incident in what NATO describes as artillery and anti-aircraft canon fire from regime forces ashore.

The Charlottetown responded with a short burst of machine-gun fire of its own. None of the allied warships suffered any damage or injury in the incident at around 2 a.m. local time Thursday morning. NATO says this is the second action at sea by forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

It follows the mining of the approaches to Misrata harbour two weeks ago when NATO forces destroyed two mines and swept the area.

— The Canadian Press