Pirates fires on U.S. helicopter off Somali coast

www.chinaview.cn 2009-08-28 00:38:51 Print

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Somali pirates holding a hijacked ship off the coast of Somalia fired at a U.S. Navy helicopter, the U.S. Navy said Thursday.

The U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said in a statement that a group of pirates aboard the M/V Win Far, a vessel hijacked on April 6, fired "a large caliber weapon" at a U.S. SH-60B helicopter, which was conducting a surveillance flight over the ship.

No one was injured and the helicopter, which is based on the USS Chancellorsville, was not hit, according to the statement.
The incident highlights the ongoing piracy problem in that region even as U.S. and coalition ships patrol the waters to deter pirates.
Piracy off Somalia's coast and the Gulf of Aden has become an urgent global concern recently. Many countries have joined an international naval effort to deal with the challenges in the region.