A group of Somali pirates has been captured after attacking a French navy ship by mistake, apparently thinking it was a harmless cargo vessel.

French military spokesman Admiral Christophe Prazuck said the pirates
attacked in skiffs late at night some 500km (310 miles) off the Somali
coast.

But the command and supply ship, the Somme, repelled the attack and chased the pirates, capturing five of them.

Dozens of international warships fight piracy in Somalia’s lawless waters.

The country has had no effective central government since 1991, leading
to a complete breakdown of law and order, and pirates operate off the
coast almost with impunity.

Admiral Prazuck told French TV station La Chaine Info the pirates seemed to be surprised that the navy ship fought back.

“Once they realised they were facing a ship that was responding and was
heading towards them, they stopped shooting and attempted to flee,” he
said.

“The Somme gave chase and intercepted one of the pirates’ boats. All
the weapons had apparently been tossed into the sea and the suspected
pirates are now being held on board the Somme.”

About two dozen ships from European Union nations, including Britain,
France, Germany and Italy, patrol the waters off Somalia – an area of
about two million square miles.

Although the international naval forces have stepped up patrols in the
Gulf of Aden this year, relatively few of the pirates detained have
faced trial because of the legal complexities involved.

Source: BBC

Search to find what you want

• French Navy Busy Five Somali pirates

     Five Somali pirates were captured after they mistook a French naval ship for a cargo vessel. The pirates were repelled in a night attack on the French refueling vessel La Somme, which is serving as the command ship for French forces in the Indian Ocean. In the dark, the pirates apparently

• Somali pirates in negotiations on two ships Ofer

    Somali pirates are negotiating the release of two cargo vessels owned by Ofer Brothers company Zodiac Maritime Agencies. The ships and their crews have been held by the pirates in Somalia since the beginning of the month. The first ship is a chemicals bulk carrier, the St

• EU fleet arrests 13 pirates from Oman

    The crew of a Dutch warship has arrested 13 suspected pirates following an attack by fast boats on a cargo vessel in waters south of Oman, the EU naval mission said in a statement Thursday. “In total there were thirteen pirates and two of the original crew on board

• Somali pirates on board, St Jamess Park opened fire on navy ship

    In an incident with the UK-flagged ship St James Park, abducted by Somali pirates on which five Bulgarian sailors are aboard, pirates opened fire from the deck and that of an adjacent ship against a navy vessel, presumed to be a US ship, international media reported. Reportedly more than 70

• Somali pirates hijack-flagged vessel in Kenya

    Pirates have seized a Kenyan-flagged fishing vessel off the Somali coast for possible use as a “mother ship” to launch more attacks, a maritime official said yesterday. Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarers’ Assistance Programme said pirates captured the Spanish-owned FV Sakoba last week. “I think the pirates have

• Somali pirates hijack Iranian ship, keeping the crew

    Iran says pirates off the coast of Somalia have struck to hijack an Iranian vessel, holding its 29 crewmembers onboard hostage. Deputy Managing Director for Maritime Affairs Saeed Izadian said an Iranian fishing vessel was attacked in free waters by Somali pirates on Sunday

• French Marines repel new pirate attack on trawlers

    French marines on board two tuna trawlers in the Indian Ocean opened fire to repel a dawn pirate attack on Tuesday, the second such incident in a week, the ships’ owner said. Shipping firm Saupiquet said marines fired warning shots at two pirate skiffs pursuing the trawlers, Via Avenir and Via

• Danish ship reciprocated anti-piracy operations

    Danish naval combat support ship Absalon is heading back to Nato duty when it sails later today. The ship is due to take part in ‘Operation Ocean Shield’, which will protect commercial freighters from pirates in the Gulf of Aden off the eastern coast of Africa. When it last did

• Somali pirates attack ships in the Indian Ocean

    Somali pirates on Thursday seized a Singapore-flagged container ship in the Indian Ocean near the Seychelles, maritime sources told AFP. “The Singapore flagged and owned boxship Kota Wajar was seized around 300 nautical miles north the Seychelles,” said Andrew Mwangura, who heads the Kenyan chapter of East African Seafarers Assistance

• No report of injuries or losses of the two abducted ships: IMF Officer

    There was no report about any injuries and casualties so far on the two ships kidnapped by Somali pirates on Monday, an officer of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said here on Wednesday.

• If the Chinese navy against his will by force against Somali pirates?

    The Somali pirates have once again warned that they could kill the crew of the Chinese flagged merchant vessel De Xin Hai if a military action is launched to rescue them.? Speaking from the ship by phone, a pirate cautioned, “We know the Chinese have arrayed their warships in Somalia

• Pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia rising: U.S. Navy

    The US Navy said on Tuesday that pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia have recently increased. There have been four attempted attacks on motor vessels in the Gulf of Aden since September 19, bringing the total number of piracy attacks on merchant vessels in 2009 to 146, of which 28

• Turkish frigate Captures 7 Pirate, another Hijacked Ship

    The Turkish frigate “Gemlik” has encountered a small skiff in the Gulf of Aden, and captured seven alleged pirates.

• Pirates say crew members die when China is trying to save

    Somali pirates warned on Monday they would kill the crew of a Chinese bulk carrier if China’s navy attempted to wrest control of the vessel from them.

• Pirates say crew members die when China is trying to save

    Somali pirates warned on Monday they would kill the crew of a Chinese bulk carrier if China’s navy attempted to wrest control of the vessel from them. In a statement read to Reuters over the phone, one of the pirates holding the 25 crew members of the coal ship De