Somali Pirates: "Pirates kill 2 hostages on hijacked vessel" - 16 Freed by Danish Navy

Headline: "Denmark: Pirates kill 2 hostages on hijacked vessel". Rest of story reveals a rescue effort by the Danes that saved 16 hostages and prevented another Somali pirate "mothership" from getting to sea to hijack more ships:

Two hostages were killed and 16 others freed when a Danish warship intercepted a cargo vessel that had been hijacked by pirates off Somalia's coast.

Navy spokesman Kenneth Nielsen said Tuesday that 17 pirates were detained in Monday's anti-piracy operation. He declined to give the nationalities of the hostages.

HDMS Absalon

Danish ship HDMS Absalon had been following the hijacked vessel for several days, Nielsen said. The cargo ship had been used as a mothership from which pirates sailed out in smaller boats to attack other vessels.

He said HDMS Absalon intervened when the vessel tried to move away from the coast on Monday. "(It) stopped the mothership before it could become a threat against the shipping on the open sea."

Good on the Danes. Sorry for the hostage life loss, but the Somali pirates are to blame for hijacking the ship in the first place. From the Danish Navy (Google translate version):

Dnaish Navy photo of pirated vessel

ABSALON has stopped another pirate mothership The ship was stopped by ABSALON yesterday. The Danish warship Absalon has on 27 February 2012 halted a pirate mother ship. During the incident two hostages on pirate mother ship killed. ABSALON has for several days been watching a pirate mother ship off the Somali coast. Sunday night attempted pirate mother ship to sneak away from the coast. ABSALON was inserted and stopped the mother ship before it could pose a threat to shipping on the high seas. As neither the call, or cry unto warning shot to bring the pirate mother ship to a stop, was ABSALON strength of the NATO head allowed to firing equipment aboard the mother ship piracy, with a view to bringing the vessel to a stop. This fire was on board suspected pirates to surrender. ABSALON crew could then take control of the pirate mother ship. On board the pirate mother ship took ABSALON crew 17 suspected pirates and 18 hostages from the mother ship's original crew. Two hostages were found badly injured, and even with a rapid assistance from ABSALON doctor stood their life to save. The circumstances that led to the two hostages were killed is not yet known. Military Auditor Corps investigates the facts surrounding the incident. Danish authorities will, in line with the actual course of events relating to the hijacking of the mother ship clarified assess the possibilities to prosecute suspected pirates. Anyone from ABSALON's crew is in good shape.