Security

Indian Frigate 1, Pirate 'Mother Ship' 0

A Somali pirate "mother ship" is now in flames, after a firefight with an Indian frigate in the Gulf of Aden. The INS Tabar intercepted the pirate ship 285 nautical miles southwest of Oman, India’s Defence Ministry said in a statement. It had two speed boats in tow. "INS Tabar closed the vessel and asked […]

Talwar13
A Somali pirate "mother ship" is now in flames, after a firefight with an Indian frigate in the Gulf of Aden.

The INS Tabar intercepted the pirate ship 285 nautical miles southwest of Oman, India's Defence Ministry said in a statement. It had two speed boats in tow. "INS Tabar closed the vessel and asked her to stop for investigation. On repeated calls, the vessel's threatening response was that she would blow up the Naval Warship if it closed her."

Pirates were seen roaming on the upper deck of this vessel with guns and Rocket Propelled Grenade launchers. The vessel continued its threatening calls and subsequently fired upon INS Tabar*. *

...INS Tabar* retaliated in self defence and opened fire on the mother vessel. As a result of the firing by INS Tabar, fire broke out on the vessel and explosions were heard, possibly due to exploding ammunition that was stored on the vessel. Almost simultaneously, 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. *

This is the Tabar's third pirate fight in a little more than a week. On November 11th, the frigate received a "frantic distress call from Saudi Arabian chemical and oil carrier NCC Tihama," the* Times of India *reports. "*Tihamas' *call said two to three high-speed boats, with several armed men, were trying to hijack the ship."

*An armed Chetak helicopter, with four marine commandos, was immediately launched... *Even as the Chetak hovered over Tihama, the marine commandos opened fire with their automatic weapons at the pirates trying to board the Saudi tankship after surrounding it. Deterred by the fire, the pirates promptly turned tail and fled in their speedboats into Somali waters.

It was around this time -- 10.30 am or so -- when the Chetak was still in the air, that INS Tabar received another SOS call. This time, the message was that Indian merchant vessel Jag Arnav... was being ambushed by another band of pirates in two boats about 60 nautical miles east of
Aden.*

The Chetak was then diverted towards Jag Arnavs position…*

There was no need to fire even warning shots this time. Seeing the helicopter approach Jag Arnav, which had a 25-member crew, the pirates promptly jettisoned their hijack plans and sped away, said the officer.

Pirate attacks have skyrocketed in recent months -- with more than 100
incidents in 2008. So too has the international response. Warships from around the world have swarms to the waters off of east Africa. Last week, the British Royal Navy repelled an attack on a Danish ship, and killed at least two pirates, in the process.

[Photo: B-R; arrrrr! MC]

ALSO: