US Marine raid reclaims ship from pirate hands off Somalia

Published September 08, 2010

| Associated Press

MANAMA, Bahrain – MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — The U.S. Navy says Marine commandos have reclaimed control of a pirate-held vessel off the Somalia coast and taken nine prisoners.

The U.S. Fifth Fleet says the raid took place just before dawn Thursday. The German-owned Megellan Star was commandeered by pirates a day earlier.

The Navy statement says nine suspected pirates were taken into custody. No injuries were reported among the vessel's crew or the Marine team.

U.S. warships are part of a 25-nation task force protecting merchant vessels from pirate attacks off the coast of lawless Somalia and in nearby shipping lanes.

Last month, Denmark said a helicopter from one its warships fired warning shots and foiled a pirate attack off Somalia.

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