Monday, January 10, 2011
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NORFOLK, Va. (UPI) -- Sailors from a U.S. destroyer intercepted a suspected Somali pirate skiff in the Gulf of Aden, NATO officials announced Monday.
The Norfolk-based USS Laboon tailed the vessel for several hours before sending over a boarding party that confiscated fuel and equipment believed to be intended for use in taking over merchant ships.
No arrests were made but NATO's Allied Maritime Command said in a written statement the Laboon crew made sure the skiff "was no longer able to be used to attack merchant ships."
The statement said the Americans reported seeing the skiff crew tossing weapons and ladders over the side as the destroyer approached.
The Laboon sailed from Virginia in August to join a NATO task force assigned to anti-piracy patrols and other missions.
Source: UPI