Locally built boat attacked by ISIS

ISIS has taken credit for an attack last week on an Egyptian Coast Guard vessel that was built at Swiftships in Morgan City, according to a Swiftships news release.
In the early morning hours Thursday, unknown assailants attacked an Egyptian Coast Guard vessel while it was moored at a buoy close to shore on the Mediterranean Sea near the Sinai Peninsula. The attacked vessel was a 25-meter fast patrol boat equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communications systems manufactured by Swiftships LLC of Morgan City in 2005, the release stated.
Swiftships CEO Shehraze Shah expressed his solidarity with Egypt, especially with the Egyptian Navy and Border Guard in dealing with the criminal elements responsible for the attack, the release said.
Shah also said that the company’s president, Jeff Leleux, is currently in Egypt assisting the navy on a new program.
In the news release, Shah said, “We have a long-standing strategic relationship with the Egyptian Navy and Border Guard and wholeheartedly stand ready to assist in any way possible.”
The local branch of the Islamic State in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula claimed the attack Thursday and said that it had destroyed an Egyptian frigate with a missile and killed everyone on board, the release said. The Egyptian military confirmed there was an attack on a coastguard vessel, but said that no one was hurt, according to the news release.
The attacked patrol boat is one of several Swiftships vessels currently in use by the Egyptian military. Swiftships’ Fast Patrol Boats were constructed under strict American Bureau of Shipping and U.S. Navy standards and are capable of withstanding highly explosive attacks.
The Egyptian military operates several Swiftships class vessels of various lengths and mission requirements. Additional vessels are currently being constructed in Egypt under a licensing agreement.
Agreement between Swiftships and the Egyptian government. The coproduction program allows the Egyptian Navy to strengthen their maritime defense forces by manufacturing Swiftships vessels in that country and utilizing local workforce.
Swiftships is a U.S. Navy approved and ISO registered commercial and military shipbuilder. Specializing in the construction of small to medium sized watercraft built of steel, aluminum and fiberglass, Swiftships has built over 600 hulls for 52 governments across the world, the release said.