U.S. cruiser captures 7 suspected pirates

U.S. cruiser captures 7 suspected pirates
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 11, 2009 17:13:10 EST

The cruiser Vella Gulf captured seven suspected pirates Wednesday off Somalia, becoming the first U.S. ship to bring in would-be hijackers since the Navy stood up its dedicated counter-piracy force.

The Vella Gulf heard a distress call at about 3 p.m. local time from the merchant vessel Polaris, which reported that men in a small boat had attempted to come aboard on a ladder, a Navy official said. The Polaris’ crew removed the ladder before the men could climb up.

As this was happening, the Vella Gulf changed its course and increased speed to rendezvous with the Polaris. En route, the cruiser intercepted the small boat the merchant sailors had described.

“The skiff contained individuals fitting the physical descriptions given by Polaris crew members,” a Navy statement said. “A Vella Gulf visit, board, search and seizure team conducted a consensual boarding and found several weapons.”

When the Vella Gulf met up with the Polaris, the merchant ship’s crew identified the men in the small boat as the ones who had tried to force their way aboard. So they were taken into custody aboard the U.S. warship.


Rest of article at: http://navytimes.com/news/2009/02/navy_pirates_captured_021109w/%2e

is that the pirates should be treated as they were during the 17th and 18th century.