Manama: An Egyptian fisherman lost a finger after being attacked by Iranian fishermen on board a Kuwaiti fishing boat on Wednesday.
The attack took place in international waters, according to Kuwaiti security sources.
"The attack did not occur in the Kuwaiti territorial waters, but in the international waters," the sources told Kuwaiti daily Al Watan.
According to reports, four Iranians late on Wednesday attacked the fishing boat, using knives and sharp objects, believing that they could overpower its Egyptian crew.
However, the Egyptians were able to defend themselves, forcing three Iranians to jump into the sea to escape.
The fourth was, however, caught and the Egyptians tied him up as they headed back to the shore.
They reported the alleged piracy to the coastguard and handed over the Iranian captive.
A short video clip of the boat taken following the attack and showing the fishermen and the Iranian attacker went viral on the Internet and sparked outrage both in the Arabian Gulf and in Egypt.
One fisherman showed his blood-soaked hand where one finger was missing, after it was reportedly cut off by the Iranian attackers.
According to sources, the coastguard sent a boat to rescue the three Iranians who had escaped and referred the four attackers to the prosecutor for investigations.
