Indian navy arrests 23 pirates in Gulf of Aden

[Bhaisahab]

Source: AP

NEW DELHI (AP) — The Indian navy captured 23 pirates who threatened a merchant vessel Saturday in the lawless waters of the Gulf of Aden, where dozens of ships have come under attack by gunmen in recent months.

An Indian navy ship, the INS Mysore, was escorting merchant ships in the region near Somalia when it received a distress call from seamen on board the MV Gibe, who said they were being attacked by two boats.

The distress call said the pirates were firing as their boats closed in on the Gibe, according to a statement from the Indian government. The pirate boats attempted to escape when they saw the Mysore and its helicopter, but were boarded by Indian marine commandoes, the statement said.

The pirates had "a substantial cache of arms and equipment," including seven AK-47 assault rifles, three machine guns, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and other weapons, the statement said. They also found a GPS receiver and other equipment.

The pirates were from Somalia and Yemen, two countries on the coast of the Gulf of Aden.


INS MYSORE

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gB7YMEDuCwwY9ncDOtPAkEI4-H2wD951TTFG0

[AnneD]

1. Ok OK...

Hubby (from India) and I have this running joke of an argument about Indians, water, sailing, and the concept of an Indian Navy. Guess I'll need some ketchup-I'll be eating my words tonight.

[14thColony]

3. Not to get in the middle of domestic marital politics or anything

but the Indian Navy's certainly for real. One of the few navies in the world sophisticated enough to operate aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines, and (coming soon) nuclear-armed ballistic missile submaries too. By all accounts they're a world-class navy.

[Johnyawl]

4. India has a proud maritime tradition that spans 2500 years

http://indiannavy.nic.in/history.htm


Just a sample:

..."In the period 984-1042 AD, the Chola kings despatched great naval expeditions which occupied parts of Burma, Malaya and Sumatra, while suppressing piracy by the Sumatran warlords. In 1292 AD, Marco Polo described Indian ships as " ...built of fir timber, having a sheath of boards laid over the planking in every part, caulked with oakum and fastened with iron nails. The bottoms were smeared with a preparation of quicklime and hemp, pounded together and mixed with oil from a certain tree which is a better material than pith."

What Marco Polo is describing are ships the equal of anything the europeans were building.

[AnneD]

6. Blame it on the Euro-centric history we learn in school....

Most navies explored other countries-the Indian culture didn't seem to do much of this.....The other thing I argue with Hubby about is why there isn't much in the way of Indian sports teams-esp in the summer olympics. There should be some Indian swimmers-of course he then reminded me that although India has lots of waterways-they are filled with alligators and snakes. All the more reason I say, they should have a gold medal swim team. It is one of those long running jokes we have. But as we see now, the Indian Navy is no joke.

[Tesha]

2. Arrrgh! I hopes they makes them all walks the plank, I do!

Davy Jones' locker be the best place for them!

Tesha

[420inTN]

5. Good job, guys. n/t

[Kurska]

7. This is a real opportunity for India to gain some prestige on the nation scene

I hope they take it even further, a less euro-centric outlook on world security would be great.

Also the "MYSORE" sounds to much eyesore, that ship is utterly beautiful.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

8. mysore is a very beatiful city in india. nt

[Mike Daniels]

9. Wasn't escorting merchant vessels a typical assignment for navies?

An Indian navy ship, the INS Mysore, was escorting merchant ships in the region....

I thought this is something that navies used to do pretty regularly. Not necessarily escort from port to port but at least escort through trouble spots if the navy had a station in the general area.

Is this something that isn't that common anymore or was it generally done only during periods of declared war?

[Posteritatis]

10. Generally only during wartime and only if they're carrying military materiel

During peacetime it's much less of an issue. It'd be silly to escort merchant ships in the North Atlantic, for instance. Off Somalia, though, it makes sense.