(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 30 - An Italian finance police unit opened fire after a Tunisian fishing boat disobeyed an order to stop and rammed a patrol vessel, sources said Wednesday.
The Italian finance police and the coast guard had intervened after the fishing boat, the Mohanel Anmed, put down nets in Italian territorial waters.
The boat refused to stop and a chase ensued in international waters in which shots were fired.
In the end the finance police managed to halt the fishing boat and they are taking it to the Italian island of Lampedusa.
photo: a file image of a Coast Guard boat. (ANSA).
Shots fired as Tunisian fishing boat rams Italian vessel
Fishing boat blocked after chase