The Indians freed 12 Iranian hostages and arrested 16 Somali pirates. With attention focused on the shipping routes off Somalia, the pirates have started to range out much farther; this Iranian fishing boat was captured off India’s west coast. India has arrested 104 pirates off its coast already this year. In the case of the Iranian fishing boat, the Indians ordered the captured ship to surrender, but the pirates opened fire on the Indian Navy. The Indians fired back, setting the hijacked fishing boat afire and forcing both pirates and hostages to jump into the sea, from which all were rescued. The Iranian Navy, meanwhile, said it saved two Iranian ships from pirate attacks nearer to Somalia last week.
