Naval ship that helped catch Somali pirates returns to Goa

Panaji, Feb 2 (PTI) Indian naval ship ''INS Cankarso'',which doubled up with Indian Coast Guard to capture Somalipirates near Lakshadweep Island, returned to its base today,officials said.

''INS Cankarso'', the newly inducted WJFAC (Water Jet FastAttack Craft), based at Goa and commanded by Cdr ArunBahuguna, was commissioned to capture pirates who werethreatening merchant shipping in the Arabian sea.

"The Naval ship successfully engaged the pirate mothership ''Prantlay'' in self defence and sunk the same near theLakshadweep Island on January 28, 2011, while on anti piracypatrol near Lakswadweep islands in an operation named ''IslandWatch''," an Indian Navy spokesman said.

The pirate ship was ordered to stop on being accosted athigh sea.

However, the pirate ship fired at Cankarso and tried toflee west.

Cankarso opened fire in self defence due to which a firebroke out on the pirates'' mother vessel which eventually sunk,he said.

The pirates -- 14 Somali and an Ethiopian -- wereapprehended on January 31 after a gunbattle while trying toloot a foreign merchant vessel and placed under arrest. Theyhave been remanded in police custody by a Mumbai court inpolice custody till February 17.

The released fishermen are being taken to Mumbai byanother naval ship, the spokesman added.