A terrorist attack on an Egyptian Navy vessel in the Mediterranean Sea has reportedly injured five servicemen, with eight others missing.
During the attack, which comes a day after a car bomb injured ten people in the Sinai Peninsula, the vessel reportedly came under fire some 70km off the northern port of Damietta.
According to an Agence France-Presse report, the attackers deployed ‘fishing boats’ and did not appear to use any rocket propelled grenades or heavier weapons.
Egyptian military spokesperson Mohamed Samir was quoted by the local daily Youm Sabah as saying: "In addition to what has been posted regarding the terror attack, the five servicemen who were injured during the attack have been transported to military hospitals for the necessary care."
The Egyptian military destroyed four vessels used by the assailants and arrested 32 people. Reports also revealed that the Egyptian Air Force was used in response.
The attack follows the remote detonation of a car bomb in the town of El-Arish, north of the Sinai Peninsula, by the police in a controlled explosion.
However, there were no signs of attacks by Sinai-based militants, who have stepped up attacks against police and soldiers since Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was overthrown last year.
