Attackers have boarded a ship off the coast of Somalia after firing machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades at the vessel, according to a UK maritime agency. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has issued an alert about the raid, which it said happened about 560 nautical miles south-east of the Somali town of Eyl. Private security firm Ambrey indicated that the attackers were likely Somali pirates, who have become increasingly active in the region in recent days. Greek shipping company Latsco Marine Management confirmed the attack, assuring that all the ship's 24 crew members are 'safe and accounted for' and that they remain in close contact with them. The incident was reported to have occurred at around 11:48 local time (08:48 GMT), involving a Malta-registered tanker named Hellas Aphrodite, which was transporting gasoline from Sikka, India, to Durban, South Africa. UKMTO stated, 'The Master of a vessel has reported being approached by one small craft on its stern. The small craft fired small arms and RPGs towards the vessel.' The attack comes amid a resurgence of piracy in the region, which had significantly decreased after peaking more than a decade ago. Reports indicate that there were at least seven maritime incidents last year, and several fishing vessels have already been seized by pirates this year, according to the International Maritime Bureau.