[Iran Press TV Latest] A British warship has disarmed ten pirates on two skiffs, preventing a possible attack on merchant ships in the pirate infected Gulf of Aden. It's the catch-and-release program in action...
A Bahrain-based US Fifth Fleet said when a Spanish maritime aircraft patrol spotted two suspicious skiffs with 10 people onboard. The Royal Navy Frigate HMS Portland intercepted and disarmed the pirates after it was signaled by a Spanish aircraft which had been patrolling the area, Press TV correspondent reported. The Royal Forces confiscated extra fuel barrels, grappling hooks, rocket propelled grenades, machine guns and ammunition from the skiffs. The US Fleet statement said that "having prevented this group of pirates from reaching their merchant traffic prey Portland destroyed one of the skiffs and confiscated all their weapons."
Tusk, tusk. Confiscating the tools and sinking the boats of honest fisher folk.
The British frigate is part of the multinational task forces consisting of the US and the UK, Turkey, South Korea, Singapore, Denmark and Japan led by the US. There are currently over 20 vessels and more than 300 crewmembers still held for ransom by pirates.