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EU Naval Force rescues hijacked Iranian sailors

22 March 2010 17:46 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. The EU Naval Force says one of its warships has rescued 13 sailors on an Iranian dhow who had been left for dead after a pirate attack, APA reports quoting â€œAssociated Pressâ€.
The naval force sent a helicopter to locate the dhow Saturday after hearing a distress call. The fishing vessel’s radio equipment was broken and crew members had no food and were drinking sea water.
The naval force said Monday the crew told officials that pirates tied them up for two days after last week’s attack. The EU force gave the crew enough food, water and fuel for them to reach harbor.
The naval force has stepped up its enforcement of the waters off East Africa in an effort to thwart a growing pirate trade. Piracy has flourished off the coast of Somalia, which has not had a functioning government for 19 years.