Warship stops pirate boat in Gulf

One of the seized boats was destroyed by HMS Portland

Devonport-based warship HMS Portland has intercepted two suspected pirate boats in the Gulf of Aden.

The two boats were equipped with extra fuel, grappling hooks, rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and ammunition.

Ten people on board them were released "due to insufficient evidence to directly link the group to a specific attack", the Ministry of Defence said.

HMS Portland is part of a multi-national anti-piracy operation in the Gulf off the east coast of Africa.

Cmdr Tim Lowe, Deputy Commander, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), said: "This is an excellent example of international co-ordination.

"This international collaboration cannot be understated and as more countries join the fight, we will continue to work together to help deter, disrupt and thwart criminal acts of piracy in the maritime environment."

Portland's boarding team of Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel, were supported by a Lynx helicopter, equipped with a machine gun and snipers in the operation off the coast of Somalia.

HMS Portland destroyed one of the boats and confiscated all their weapons.

The CMF said that since August 2008, its forces had intercepted 27 pirate vessels, seized 190 small arms and 39 rocket-propelled grenades.