The Royal Navy has stopped a suspected gang of armed pirates after a chase through the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia. HMS Portland detected the ship while patrolling the Gulf of Aden.
Two suspicious skiffs were then stopped and boarded. The multi-national patrol group found grappling hooks, rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), machine guns and ammunition on board.
Despite the dodgy cargo, the 10 pirates were released because of "insufficient evidence". But the patrol team admitted they weren't
the kind of items found on an "innocent fishing vessel".
HMS Portland then destroyed one boat, letting the pirates disappear on the other skiff. The Gulf of Aden is one of the world's most important shipping
lanes, crossed by 20,000 ships a year.
The captured pirate boat then exploded before sinking. Commander Tim Henry said: "HMS Portland has once again demonstrated the Royal Navy's
commitment to keeping the sea lanes open."
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