Indian Navy Prevents Pirate Attack in Gulf of Aden
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The Indian navy said Monday it thwarted a pirate attack on a Norwegian tanker in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia.
An Indian warship patrolling the seas responded to a distress call from the tanker belonging to the Nordic American Tanker Company after it was fired upon by pirates, said P.V.S. Satish, the navy spokesman in New Delhi.
A helicopter immediately took off from the warship and foiled the pirates' attempt, Satish said. Other details were not immediately available.
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The Gulf of Aden is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, crossed by 20,000 vessels a year, and a prime target for Somali pirates.
Indian warships have been escorting merchant ships as part of anti-piracy surveillance in the area since last year.