India Captures 61 Pirates, Mothership

India nabbed 61 Somali pirates in the Indian Sea today, reports the AP, after naval vessels returned fire from their hijacked fishing boat, which caught fire. The fishing boat from Mozambique had been used as a roving mothership for many attacks on commercial vessels traveling between East Africa and India. Navy officers rescued 13 crew members, who had been held aboard the hijacked vessel since December.

The pirates had between 80 and 90 small weapons and a few RPGs, but there were no casualties—pirates and hostages alike jumped from the burning fishing ship, and were picked up by the Navy. (More India stories.)