A Navy commander said naval forces have successfully saved two merchant ships from pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of crisis-stricken Yemen.
Navy’s Second-in-Command Rear Admiral Seyyed Mahmoud Mousavi said on Thursday a cargo ship, whose country of origin he did not mention, came under attack on Wednesday after a group of pirates on board six boats approached the vessel, Press TV reported.
Naval vessels patrolling the area rushed to assist the ship following distress call. The marines managed to foil the pirate attack after engaging in a firefight.
Mousavi added that pirates on board 12 ships launched another assault on a separate vessel early on Thursday. Iranian forces once again fired shots and thwarted the pirate attack.
He noted that pirates fled toward the coast of Somalia in both incidents.
