ID :
31186
Wed, 11/19/2008 - 22:39
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/31186
The shortlink copeid
INS Tabar sinks pirate ship
New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) A week after saving two merchant
vessels from sea pirates, the Indian Navy has sunk a pirate
'mother ship' during a fierce battle in the Gulf of Aden near
the Horn of Africa.
Indian Navy spokesperson Wednesday said its stealth
frigate INS Tabar, currently deployed in the Gulf of Aden for
anti-piracy surveillance and patrol operations, had
successfully sorted out the pirates last evening 285 nautical
miles south west of Salalah in Oman.
Giving details of the operation, the spokesperson said
the frigate encountered the pirate vessel with two speed boats
in tow.
"This vessel was similar in description to the 'Mother
Vessel' mentioned in various Piracy bulletins. INS Tabar
closed in on the vessel and asked her to stop for
investigation," he said.
Despite repeated calls from INS Tabar, the pirate
vessel's threatened to blow up the naval warship if it sailed
closer.
Pirates were also seen roaming on the upper deck of
this vessel with guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers
and they continued the threats and subsequently fired upon INS
Tabar, he said.
The warship retaliated in "self-defence" and opened fire
on the mother vessel of the pirates. "As a result of INS
Tabar's guns booming, fire broke out on the pirate vessel and
explosions were heard, possibly due to exploding ammunition
that was stored on the vessel," the spokesperson said.
Almost simultaneously, Indian Navy said, two speed boats
were observed breaking off to escape. The ship chased the
first boat, which was later found abandoned. The other boat
made good its escape into darkness, it added.
INS Tabar was deployed on anti-piracy mission in the Gulf
of Aden since November 2.
Western Naval Command has been controlling the
anti-piracy operation since October 23 when the government
ordered the Navy to deploy a warship in Gulf of Aden with the
mandate to save Indian merchant vessels distressed by pirates.
Since deployment, INS Tabar has successfully escorted 35
ships, including a number of foreign-flagged vessels on
receiving their request, safely during their transit through
pirate-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden, apart from
throwing back pirates, who were attempting to hijack an Indian
and a Saudi vessels on November 11.
The Indian action against pirates comes in the wake of
Japanese ship M V Stolt Valor with 18 Indian crew members
being hijacked from Gulf of Aden by Somalian pirates on
September 15 and being held in captivity for over two months.
The vessel and the crew were released by the pirates on
November 16 after the Japanese shipping company reportedly
paid a huge ransom. PTI NCB
RKM
NNNN
vessels from sea pirates, the Indian Navy has sunk a pirate
'mother ship' during a fierce battle in the Gulf of Aden near
the Horn of Africa.
Indian Navy spokesperson Wednesday said its stealth
frigate INS Tabar, currently deployed in the Gulf of Aden for
anti-piracy surveillance and patrol operations, had
successfully sorted out the pirates last evening 285 nautical
miles south west of Salalah in Oman.
Giving details of the operation, the spokesperson said
the frigate encountered the pirate vessel with two speed boats
in tow.
"This vessel was similar in description to the 'Mother
Vessel' mentioned in various Piracy bulletins. INS Tabar
closed in on the vessel and asked her to stop for
investigation," he said.
Despite repeated calls from INS Tabar, the pirate
vessel's threatened to blow up the naval warship if it sailed
closer.
Pirates were also seen roaming on the upper deck of
this vessel with guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers
and they continued the threats and subsequently fired upon INS
Tabar, he said.
The warship retaliated in "self-defence" and opened fire
on the mother vessel of the pirates. "As a result of INS
Tabar's guns booming, fire broke out on the pirate vessel and
explosions were heard, possibly due to exploding ammunition
that was stored on the vessel," the spokesperson said.
Almost simultaneously, Indian Navy said, two speed boats
were observed breaking off to escape. The ship chased the
first boat, which was later found abandoned. The other boat
made good its escape into darkness, it added.
INS Tabar was deployed on anti-piracy mission in the Gulf
of Aden since November 2.
Western Naval Command has been controlling the
anti-piracy operation since October 23 when the government
ordered the Navy to deploy a warship in Gulf of Aden with the
mandate to save Indian merchant vessels distressed by pirates.
Since deployment, INS Tabar has successfully escorted 35
ships, including a number of foreign-flagged vessels on
receiving their request, safely during their transit through
pirate-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden, apart from
throwing back pirates, who were attempting to hijack an Indian
and a Saudi vessels on November 11.
The Indian action against pirates comes in the wake of
Japanese ship M V Stolt Valor with 18 Indian crew members
being hijacked from Gulf of Aden by Somalian pirates on
September 15 and being held in captivity for over two months.
The vessel and the crew were released by the pirates on
November 16 after the Japanese shipping company reportedly
paid a huge ransom. PTI NCB
RKM
NNNN
