SAN'A, Yemen - Navy officials say seven pirates who fired on a German naval supply ship in the Gulf of Aden were chased down and captured by an international anti-piracy task force
U.S. Navy and European officials said the suspected pirates apparently mistook the German supply vessel for a commercial ship when they opened fire on it Sunday afternoon.
The German sailors returned fire and pursued the skiff while also calling in for support.
Several naval ships - including a Greek and a Dutch frigate, a Spanish warship and the USS Boxer - sped to the area while a Spanish marine aircraft and two U.S. Marine Cobra helicopters joined the pursuit.
The Greek navy said Greek sailors reached the pirate skiff five hours later, boarded it and seized the seven suspects. The Greek navy also seized weapons, including assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.
U.S. Navy 5th Fleet spokesman Lt. Nate Christensen said the suspects were disarmed and transferred to a German frigate for questioning, pending a decision on whether they will be prosecuted.
