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| India 'sinks Somali pirate ship' | India 'sinks Somali pirate ship' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The Indian navy has said that one of its warships in the Gulf of Aden has destroyed a ship belonging to pirates operating off the coast of Somalia. | The Indian navy has said that one of its warships in the Gulf of Aden has destroyed a ship belonging to pirates operating off the coast of Somalia. |
| The INS Tabar opened fire on a pirate "mother ship" after it came under attack, a government statement said. | The INS Tabar opened fire on a pirate "mother ship" after it came under attack, a government statement said. |
| There has been a recent surge in piracy off the coast of Somalia. | There has been a recent surge in piracy off the coast of Somalia. |
| The Saudi-owned Sirius Star supertanker is currently anchored off the Somali coast after it and its 25 crew were seized by pirates. | The Saudi-owned Sirius Star supertanker is currently anchored off the Somali coast after it and its 25 crew were seized by pirates. |
| Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991 and has suffered continuing civil strife. | Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991 and has suffered continuing civil strife. |
| Warships from several countries are already patrolling the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. | Warships from several countries are already patrolling the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. |
| The Indian navy said the Tabar spotted a pirate vessel while patrolling 285 nautical miles south-west of Salalah in Oman, on Tuesday evening. | |
| When the Indian ship asked the vessel to stop for investigation, "the vessel's threatening response was that she would blow up the naval warship if it closed on her", the statement said. | |
| "Pirates were seen roaming on the upper deck of the [pirate] vessel with guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers. The vessel continued its threatening calls and subsequently fired on INS Tabar," it added. | |
| The Indian warship retaliated and opened fire on the pirate vessel, leading to fire breaking out in the vessel, the statement continued. | |
| "Fire broke out on the vessel and explosions were heard, possibly due to exploding ammunition that was stored in the vessel." | |
| Two speedboats accompanying the pirate vessel were also seen escaping during the attack. | |
| The navy said the warship chased the first boat which was later found abandoned, while the second boat escaped. | |
| The Tabar has been patrolling the Gulf of Aden since early this month, and has escorted 35 ships safely during the "pirate-infested waters", the statement said. | |
| Ransoms | |
| Hijackings off the coast of East Africa and the Gulf of Aden - an area of more than one million square miles - make up one-third of all global piracy incidents this year, according the International Maritime Board. | |
| They are usually resolved peacefully through negotiations for ransom. | |
| Shipping companies are now weighing up the risks of using the short-cut route to Europe via the Suez canal. | |
| Piracy off the coast of Somalia is estimated to have cost up to $30m (£17m) in ransoms so far this year, according to a recent report by a UK think-tank. | Piracy off the coast of Somalia is estimated to have cost up to $30m (£17m) in ransoms so far this year, according to a recent report by a UK think-tank. |