World News | Danish Frigate Crew Kill 4 Suspected Pirates off West Africa
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. The Danish Navy said Thursday that one its frigates, sailing off West African on an international anti-piracy mission, killed four suspected pirates, and injured one in an exchange of gunfire.
Copenhagen, Nov 25 (AP) The Danish Navy said Thursday that one its frigates, sailing off West African on an international anti-piracy mission, killed four suspected pirates, and injured one in an exchange of gunfire.
The frigate HDMS Esbern Snare reacted Wednesday to information that a vessel was approaching several commercial ships in the Gulf of Guinea off oil-rich Nigeria. The frigate dispatched a Seahawk helicopter, whose crew reported seeing eight men on the vessel with “equipment connected to piracy, including ladders.”
Also Read | 26/11 Mumbai Attack: Pakistan Fails to Take Action Against Terror Attack Mastermind.
Later Wednesday, the frigate got close enough to the suspected pirate boat to send Danish troops toward it in dinghies. When the suspected pirates did not react to radio calls, the Danes fired warning shots.
The suspected pirates returned the fire and the Danes reacted in “self-defence” and a brief gun exchange ensued, during which four suspected pirates died, the statement from the Danish military said in a statement. No Danes were injured.
After the exchange, the vessel sank and eight suspected pirates were taken onboard Esbern Snare, including one who was wounded, who was given medical treatment.
The frigate with a crew of about 175 arrived in the Gulf of Guinea this month and will be deployed there for five months.
The Gulf of Guinea is one to be the world's most dangerous with regular ship crew kidnappings. In 2019, the region accounted for more than 90% of global crew member kidnappings. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)