Somali Pirates: Indian Navy Destroys Pirate Mother Ship, Captures Pirates

NATO photos of Prantalay

Reported as Navy destroys pirate mother ship, arrests pirates:

The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard in a joint operation on Friday, destroyed a pirate mother ship, Prantalay, off the Lakshadweep group of islands and arrested 15 pirates.

They also rescued 20 fishermen of Thailand and Myanmarese nationalities who were being held hostage by the pirates after Prantalay was hijacked by them on April 18 last year. Since its hijack, the vessel was being extensively used by the pirates to launch attacks on merchant vessels passing along the shipping lanes off the island chain.

Arrow identifies Lakshapweep Islands

“The vessel has been a risk to international shipping for many months and has carried out several attacks,” said the Navy in a media release.

See earlier report on the Indian Coast Guard stopping an attack from this mother ship here.

Good on India.

UPDATE: (30 Jan 11) More here including more details and identification of the Indian Navy ships involved, INS Cankarso, INS Kalpeni, and Indian Coast Guard CGS Sankalp:

There was an exchange of fire between INS Cankarso and the pirate vessel, following which fire was noticed in 'Prantalay' and some personnel were seen jumping into the waters.

Twenty Thai and Myanmarese fishermen, the original crew of the vessel, who had been held hostage by the pirates held hostage for over 8 months and 15 pirates, were pulled out from the waters by INS Cankarso. INS Kalpeni, CGS Sankalp, Naval and Coast Guard ships and aircraft are presently in the area searching for any fishermen or pirates, the release said.