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India 'sinks Somali pirate ship' India 'sinks Somali pirate ship'
(about 1 hour 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 surge in piracy incidents off 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 the vessel and its 25 crew were seized by pirates.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991 and has suffered continuing civil strife. Vela International, operators of the Sirius Star, told the BBC no demands had yet been received from the pirates. The company also said all the crew were safe.
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 biggest tanker ever hijacked, Sirius Star is carrying a cargo of two million barrels - a quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output - worth more than $100m (£67m).
The Indian navy said the Tabar spotted a pirate vessel while patrolling 285 nautical miles south-west of Salalah in Oman, on Tuesday evening. Explosions
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. India is among 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.
"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. Fire broke out on the vessel and explosions were heard, possibly due to exploding ammunition that was stored in the vessel Indian naval statement
The Indian warship retaliated and opened fire on the pirate vessel, leading to fire breaking out in the vessel, the statement continued. The Indian navy said the Tabar spotted a pirate vessel while patrolling 285 nautical miles (528km) south-west of Salalah in Oman, on Tuesday evening.
"Fire broke out on the vessel and explosions were heard, possibly due to exploding ammunition that was stored in the vessel." When it demanded the vessel stop for investigation, the pirate ship responded by threatening to "blow up the naval warship if it closed on her", the statement said.
Two speedboats accompanying the pirate vessel were also seen escaping during the attack. The navy said the pirates on board were armed with guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers. They threatened to blow up the INS Tabar and then fired on it.
The navy said the warship chased the first boat which was later found abandoned, while the second boat escaped. The Indians say they retaliated by opening fire and that there was an explosion on the pirate vessel, which sank.
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. "Fire broke out on the vessel and explosions were heard, possibly due to exploding ammunition that was stored in the vessel," the Indian navy said.
Some of the pirates tried to escape on two speedboats - the Indian sailors gave chase but one boat was later found abandoned, while a second boat escaped.
The Tabar has been patrolling the Gulf of Aden since 23 October, and has escorted 35 ships safely during the "pirate-infested waters", the statement said.
Last week, an helicopter-borne Indian marine commandos stopped pirates from boarding and hijacking an Indian merchant vessel.
RansomsRansoms
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. On Tuesday, a cargo ship and a fishing vessel became the latest to join more than 90 civilian vessels attacked by the pirates this year.
They are usually resolved peacefully through negotiations for ransom. A 25-crew cargo vessel transporting wheat to Iran was attacked in the Gulf of Aden while contact was lost with the crew of 12 on the fishing boat.
Piracy in the area is estimated to have cost up to $30m in ransoms so far this year, according to a recent report by a UK think-tank.
The pirates who seized the Sirius Star are a sophisticated group with contacts in Dubai and neighbouring countries, says the BBC Somali Service's Yusuf Garaad.
Much of their ransom money from previous hijackings has been used to buy new boats and weapons as well as develop a network across the Horn of Africa, he adds.
The hijackings off the coast of East Africa and the Gulf of Aden - an area of more than 1m sq miles (2.6m sq km) - make up one-third of all global piracy incidents this year, according the International Maritime Board.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991 and has suffered continuing civil strife.
Shipping companies are now weighing up the risks of using the short-cut route to Europe via the Suez canal.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.