Dubai:
A US warship captured six suspected pirates today after a battle off the Horn of Africa, the Navy's third direct encounter with seafaring bandits in less than two weeks. The Navy has taken at least 21 suspected pirates since March 31 in the violence-plagued waters off Somalia and nearby regions, where US warships are part of an international anti-piracy flotilla.
A statement by the US Navy said the suspected pirates began shooting at the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland just before dawn about 610 kilometres off Djibouti, a small nation facing Yemen across the mouth of the Red Sea. The Navy said the Ashland returned fire and the suspected pirate skiff was destroyed. All six people on board were rescued and taken aboard the Ashland. The Ashland suffered no injuries or damage in the second recent attack on a US warship by suspected pirates.
On March 31, the frigate USS Nicholas exchanged fire with a suspected pirate vessel west of the Seychelles, sinking their skiff and confiscating a mother ship. Five suspected pirates were captured. On Monday, the destroyer USS McFaul responded to the distress call from a merchant vessel and captured 10 other suspected pirates.
The Navy said it was reviewing "multiple options" on the suspects' fates. Some suspected pirates have been turned over to Kenya for trial, but there has been some reluctance by African nations to become a centre for prosecutions. In December, the Dutch government released 13 suspected Somali pirates after the European Union failed to find a country willing to prosecute them.
In Turkey, a news agency reported Saturday that Somali pirates have abandoned a commandeered Turkish ship. The Dogan agency quoted Fatih Kabal, an official of Bergen Shipping based in Istanbul, as saying the pirates left the MV Yasin C, which was seized Wednesday 400 kilometres off the Kenyan coast.
Kabal said the crew had locked themselves in the engine room and realised that the pirates had left the ship on Friday. He said crew members, who were unharmed, took the damaged ship to the Kenyan port of Mombasa. Somali pirates have been known to give up on ships they believe have no ransom value, such as vessels owned or hired by Somali traders.
Meanwhile, the owner of a hijacked supertanker has begun negotiations for the ship's release, a South Korean Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the talks. Repeated calls to the vessel operator, South Korea-based Samho Shipping, seeking comment went unanswered. The vessel is owned by a Singaporean company.
A statement by the US Navy said the suspected pirates began shooting at the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland just before dawn about 610 kilometres off Djibouti, a small nation facing Yemen across the mouth of the Red Sea. The Navy said the Ashland returned fire and the suspected pirate skiff was destroyed. All six people on board were rescued and taken aboard the Ashland. The Ashland suffered no injuries or damage in the second recent attack on a US warship by suspected pirates.
On March 31, the frigate USS Nicholas exchanged fire with a suspected pirate vessel west of the Seychelles, sinking their skiff and confiscating a mother ship. Five suspected pirates were captured. On Monday, the destroyer USS McFaul responded to the distress call from a merchant vessel and captured 10 other suspected pirates.
The Navy said it was reviewing "multiple options" on the suspects' fates. Some suspected pirates have been turned over to Kenya for trial, but there has been some reluctance by African nations to become a centre for prosecutions. In December, the Dutch government released 13 suspected Somali pirates after the European Union failed to find a country willing to prosecute them.
In Turkey, a news agency reported Saturday that Somali pirates have abandoned a commandeered Turkish ship. The Dogan agency quoted Fatih Kabal, an official of Bergen Shipping based in Istanbul, as saying the pirates left the MV Yasin C, which was seized Wednesday 400 kilometres off the Kenyan coast.
Kabal said the crew had locked themselves in the engine room and realised that the pirates had left the ship on Friday. He said crew members, who were unharmed, took the damaged ship to the Kenyan port of Mombasa. Somali pirates have been known to give up on ships they believe have no ransom value, such as vessels owned or hired by Somali traders.
Meanwhile, the owner of a hijacked supertanker has begun negotiations for the ship's release, a South Korean Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the talks. Repeated calls to the vessel operator, South Korea-based Samho Shipping, seeking comment went unanswered. The vessel is owned by a Singaporean company.
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