A BRITISH cruise ship carrying 1,300 passengers has come under attack from pirates off the coast of Somalia.

The 43,000-ton Balmoral, was struck by Somali bandits said to be armed with AK47 rifles and rocket launchers on four separate occasions.

The alarm was raised when two speed boats were spotted powering towards the ship as it sailed from Jordan to India.

Officers on board sent up distress flares to alert nearby Royal Navy and US warships patrolling the area.

A US Navy ship rushed to the rescue and escorted the Balmoral as it made its way through rough seas in the Gulf of Aden.

The ship, operated by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, was yesterday on route to Salalah in Oman.

Some of the passengers, many of whom are elderly, paid up to £30,000 for the 104-night world cruise.