Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the commander of the Iranian navy says the 13 Somali pirates who were captured in the Indian Ocean will be put on trial at Iranian courts, IRNA reported Tuesday.
Sayyari added the pirates were detained after 48 hours exchanging fire with an Iranian patrolling ship and finally hand to hand fighting on the deck of the cargo ship Armis.
The ship which was carrying tens of tons cargo from the “South African route” to Iran was attacked by the pirates 2000 km off the Somali coast on March 26.
Iranian patrolling ships in the region could rescue Armis four days later; the Rea(r) Admiral was quoted as saying.
The pirates have killed two Iranian nationals of the Armis crew members and injuring one who had tried to defend the ship, Sayyari stated, “but no lost among the Iranian marines.”
Source: Neptune Maritime Security