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| India 'sinks Somali pirate ship' | India 'sinks Somali pirate ship' |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| An Indian navy warship has destroyed a suspected Somali pirate vessel after it came under attack in the Gulf of Aden. | An Indian navy warship has destroyed a suspected Somali pirate vessel after it came under attack in the Gulf of Aden. |
| INS Tabar sank the pirate "mother ship" after it failed to stop for investigation and opened fire instead, an Indian navy statement said. | INS Tabar sank the pirate "mother ship" after it failed to stop for investigation and opened fire instead, an Indian navy statement said. |
| There has been a surge in piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia. | There has been a surge in piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia. |
| The latest attack came days after the Saudi-owned Sirius Star supertanker and its 25 crew were seized by pirates and anchored off the Somali coast. | |
| 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. | 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. |
| Indian Navy spokesman Commander Nirad Sinha describes the attack | Indian Navy spokesman Commander Nirad Sinha describes the attack |
| The biggest tanker ever hijacked, Sirius Star is carrying a cargo of two million barrels of oil - a quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output - worth more than $100m (£67m). | The biggest tanker ever hijacked, Sirius Star is carrying a cargo of two million barrels of oil - a quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output - worth more than $100m (£67m). |
| Analysts say the pattern of other hijackings suggests a ransom request is likely to follow. Given the value of the tanker and its cargo, that is expected to be a sizeable demand. | Analysts say the pattern of other hijackings suggests a ransom request is likely to follow. Given the value of the tanker and its cargo, that is expected to be a sizeable demand. |
| Two of the captive crew are British. The UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, said the Royal Navy was co-ordinating the European response to the incident. | Two of the captive crew are British. The UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, said the Royal Navy was co-ordinating the European response to the incident. |
| "The problem of piracy around Somalia is a grave danger to the stability in the region," he told the BBC. | "The problem of piracy around Somalia is a grave danger to the stability in the region," he told the BBC. |
| 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. |
| Explosions | Explosions |
| India is among several countries already patrolling the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. | India is among several countries already patrolling the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. |
| SOMALIA PIRACY How sea piracy is hurting India'I thought pirates would kill me'Somali piracy: Your storiesUK hands over pirate suspects The Indian navy said the Tabar spotted the pirate vessel while patrolling 285 nautical miles (528km) south-west of Salalah in Oman on Tuesday evening. | SOMALIA PIRACY How sea piracy is hurting India'I thought pirates would kill me'Somali piracy: Your storiesUK hands over pirate suspects The Indian navy said the Tabar spotted the pirate vessel while patrolling 285 nautical miles (528km) south-west of Salalah in Oman on Tuesday evening. |
| The navy said the pirates on board were armed with guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers. | The navy said the pirates on board were armed with guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Pirates then fired on the Tabar, and the Indians say they retaliated and that there was an explosion on the pirate vessel, which sank. | Pirates then fired on the Tabar, and the Indians say they retaliated and that there was an explosion on the pirate vessel, which sank. |
| "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. | "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. | 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. |
| INS Tabar has been patrolling the Gulf of Aden since 23 October, and has escorted 35 ships safely through the "pirate-infested waters", the statement said. | INS Tabar has been patrolling the Gulf of Aden since 23 October, and has escorted 35 ships safely through the "pirate-infested waters", the statement said. |
| Last week, helicopter-borne Indian marine commandos stopped pirates from boarding and hijacking an Indian merchant vessel. | Last week, helicopter-borne Indian marine commandos stopped pirates from boarding and hijacking an Indian merchant vessel. |
| Ransoms | Ransoms |
| On Tuesday, a cargo ship and a fishing vessel became the latest to join more than 90 vessels attacked by the pirates this year. THE SIRIUS STAR Carrying 2m barrels of oil Biggest vessel to be hijacked | On Tuesday, a cargo ship and a fishing vessel became the latest to join more than 90 vessels attacked by the pirates this year. THE SIRIUS STAR Carrying 2m barrels of oil Biggest vessel to be hijacked |
| The first vessel, 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. | The first vessel, 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 off the coast of East Africa and the Gulf of Aden - an area of more than 1m sq miles (2.6m sq km) - is estimated to have cost up to $30m in ransoms this year, a UK think tank has said. | Piracy off the coast of East Africa and the Gulf of Aden - an area of more than 1m sq miles (2.6m sq km) - is estimated to have cost up to $30m in ransoms this year, a UK think tank has said. |
| The hijackings account for one-third of all global piracy incidents this year and the situation is getting out of control, according to the International Maritime Board. | The hijackings account for one-third of all global piracy incidents this year and the situation is getting out of control, according to the International Maritime Board. |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
| 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. |
| However, travelling around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope would add several weeks to average journey times and substantially increase the cost of goods for consumers. | However, travelling around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope would add several weeks to average journey times and substantially increase the cost of goods for consumers. |