LONDON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Armed assailants attacked a

commercial tanker off the coast of Mogadishu on Monday, firing

at the vessel after attempting to board the ship in the first

suspected Somali piracy incident of its kind since 2024,

maritime sources said.

If confirmed, this would be the first Somali piracy attack

against a merchant ship since May 2024, raising risks for

critical energy and goods transported through the region,

maritime sources said.

The vessel was sailing some 332 nautical miles (615 km) off

the Somali coast when four armed attackers approached in a skiff

from the starboard side and opened fire, British maritime risk

management group Vanguard said in a note.

"The crew raised the alarm, increased speed, and conducted

evasive maneuvers. The embarked armed security team onboard

responded effectively, deterring the attack and preventing any

damage or injury."

Vanguard and a maritime security source said the vessel

targeted was the Cayman Islands-flagged chemical tanker Stolt

Sagaland.

The vessel's operator Stolt-Nielsen confirmed there was an

attempted attack on the Stolt Sagaland, early on November 3,

which was unsuccessful.

"Our crew are all safe, having responded swiftly and

professionally to the incident," the company said.

The European Union's naval mission said it was investigating

the incident. The naval force said on October 28 it had received

an alert about the possible presence of a pirate action group

around the Somali coast.

"Ships required to transit the area are advised to

(exercise) extreme caution, maintain full vigilance," the EU's

force said.

Sailings through the Red Sea, which leads into the Gulf of

Aden, have slumped since Yemen's Iran-affiliated Houthi militia

first launched attacks on commercial ships in November 2023 in

solidarity with Palestinians over Israel's war in Gaza.

While the Houthis have agreed to a truce on targeting U.S.

linked shipping, many shipping companies remain wary of resuming

voyages through those waters.