A Spanish warship repelled a pirate attack off the coast of Somalia in the first such assault on a European Union naval force since its mission to protect shipping began in December 2008, the EU force said on Monday.
The warship escorting a supply ship hired by the African Union mission to Somalia was attacked on Saturday night by a vessel that had been hijacked by pirates, with hostages aboard.
"The Infanta Christina had to defend herself and her escort with only minimal force in order not to endanger the lives of the hostages," the EU force said in a statement.
Another spokesman said: "The naval vessel fired warning shots and the pirates fled. Nobody was hurt."
The EU force, which is trying to stem rampant piracy in East African waters, says it has no mandate to rescue ships or hostages already captured by pirates.
Somalia has lacked an effective central government for almost two decades and is awash with weapons. The mayhem on land has allowed piracy to boom in the strategic waterways off its shores linking Europe to Asia and Africa.