Navy averts pirate attack

The Indian Navy thwarted a pirate attack and rescued a chinese merchant vessel 450 miles off the Lakshadweep coast on Thursday morning. A TU 142 maritime reconnaissance aircraft of the Navy was on an anti-piracy patrol when it responded to an SOS call from Chinese merchant vessel MV Full City. About 20 Chinese crew members in the vessel had locked themselves in safe rooms of the ship.

The Indian Navy aircraft reached the vessel in less than 30 minutes and found a pirate mother ship next to it and an empty skiff used by the sea brigands,believed to be from Somalia,a Coast Guard official said.

The aircraft made a number of low passes over the ship and warned the pirates through radio to leave the ship immediately, said Defence spokesman Captain M Nambiar.

The warning had the desired effect and the skiff fled from the Chinese vessel along with the pirates and headed for its mother ship nearby,Nambiar said.

The aircraft maintained a vigil for over three hours,he added.