20100402
PRESS TV

A US warship has captured five suspected pirates who had opened fire from a small boat in the Indian Ocean near the Seychelles, the US Navy says.

On Thursday, The USS Nicholas, a US Navy frigate, was in the Indian Ocean just west of the Seychelles when it began to take fire from a suspected pirate vessel shortly after midnight local time.

The navy ship returned fire and pursued the pirate skiff for over an hour until it broke down and US sailors were able to board the vessel.

The Americans took three suspects into custody before sinking the vessel, the US Sixth Fleet said in a statement.

Two more suspected pirates were detained from a 'mother ship,' which was also seized, it said.