Somali Pirates: Bigger, Bolder and Thwarted by NATO ship

Five merchant ships under attack by a dozen or so pirate small boats got help from an Italian warship and her helicopter and the intervention ended the attack. As reported here:

Alerted by a distress call, the Italian navy destroyer put itself between the ships and a group of pirate "fast boats", with all vessels using water hoses to repel the pirates.

The Italian warship, Luigi Durand de la Penne, also used its helicopter against the pirates, dispersing their attack, a NATO official said.

"This is probably the biggest multiple, coordinated attack we've seen," the official said, adding that more than 12 pirate boats were involved, perhaps as many as 20.

Swarming attacks? Where have we heard that before? Oh, yes, here, in an Iranian threat.

This could be a nasty turn in the piracy war.