The Indian navy has captured 61 suspected Somali pirates and rescued 13 fishermen after a firefight with a pirate mothership in the Arabian Sea, a navy spokesman says.
"A total of 74 men have been apprehended, of which 61 are suspected to be Somali pirates," Indian navy spokesman PVS Satish said, adding the incident happened on Saturday night within Indian waters.
A total of 13 fishermen on board the mothership, a Mozambique-flagged fishing boat, were rescued after the firefight that took place 1,100 kilometres off the west coast of India.
The Vega 5 fishing boat was hijacked December last year and was being used as a base for the pirates, who were found with small arms as well as rocket-propelled grenades and fuel drums.
A statement from the navy said its fast-attack craft, the INS Kalpeni, directed "limited" fire on the vessel after being shot at. |