EU naval forces capture six pirates off coast of Somalia

NAIROBI, April 21 (Xinhua) -- European Union naval forces have captured six pirates off the coast of Somalia after an attack on a French fishing vessel, official said Wednesday.

Naval Force spokesman John Harbour said two skiffs attacked French replenishment ship Somme on Monday night, about 400 nautical miles from the coast of Somalia.

According to Harbour whilst chasing one of the skiffs, FS Somme detected another boat which turned out to be the pirate mother ship, the vessel which controls and resupplies the pirate skiffs.

Harbour said the pirates, mistaking the Somme's silhouette for that of a merchant vessel, opened fire on the French ship but Somme responded with warning shots, causing the two pirate skiffs to flee. "During their flight, the two pirate skiffs were separated. FS Somme then gave chase to the skiff which was apprehended with a further four pirates on board. The skiff and the six pirates to now being held on board FS Somme," Harbour said in a statement. "The mother ship was captured less than half an hour later with two pirates on board, and her fuel and pirate paraphernalia (weapons and grappling lines) were seized. The mother ship was destroyed and sank," said the statement.