16 more Somali pirates arrested

Khalid said the pirates had hijacked Iranian Merchant Vessel Murtaza in November 2010. Using Murtaza as a mother ship,they then moved to the Arabian Sea and tried to hijack MV Maersk Kensington. The Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) alerted the ships patrolling off Lakshadweep of a distress message from MV Maersk Kensington regarding a pirate attack at about 11 am on Saturday.

A TU-142 maritime reconnaissance aircraft on patrol located the suspected pirate vessel and facilitated the INS Suvarna,on patrol in the area,to intercept it. Coast Guard Ship ICGS Sangram,also on patrol,was diverted for the operations. The pirate vessel was identified as Murtaza.

INS Suvarna asked the vessel to stop but the warnings went unheeded and the pirates instead opened fire. INS Suvarna then engaged the pirate vessel in self-defence. Pretending to surrender,the pirates assembled on the deck. However,as the Navy ship neared,the pirates began firing again. To create terror,the pirates also fired at the hostages,killing one of them.

The navy retaliated and the fuel drums on the ship caught fire,forcing the pirates to jump on a small boat. The navy fired and the boat resulting in Murtaza catching fire. The pirates and hostages jumped overboard. INS Suvarna quickly recovered the hostages and also launched a life raft for the pirates. ICGS Sangram also joined the rescue operations.

Weapons,including AK-47s and rocket launcher,could not be recovered from the sinking mother ship. “We have charged the pirates with murder as they killed two hostages. We have also charged them under sections of IPC,Arms Act,Foreigners Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention Act),” said Khalid.