The U.S. Navy's Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill follows a suspected pirate vessel in the Indian Ocean Saturday. After some aggressive action by Churchill, U.S. Sailors established communications and boarded the vessel.

Washington, January 26, 2006 (The Journal) – The U.S. Navy captured a group of suspected pirates Saturday in the Indian Ocean, approximately 54 miles off the central eastern coast of Somalia.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill received a report from the International Maritime Bureau in Kuala Lumpur of an attempted piracy Friday morning.

Churchill and other U.S. naval forces in the area located the vessel of the suspected pirates and reported its position.

Churchill then shadowed the vessel through the night and Saturday morning.

Just after sunrise, Churchill began querying the pirate vessel over ship-to-ship radio. Churchill requested that the crew leave the vessel and board the two small boats the vessel had in tow. Following repeated attempts to establish communications with the vessel to no avail, Churchill began aggressive maneuvering in an attempt to stop the vessel. The vessel continued on its course and speed.

At 11:30 a.m. local time, Churchill fired warning shots. The vessel slowed and eventually stopped. Churchill later issued a warning via ship-to-ship radio that it would take further actions to force the crew to respond to questioning and depart the vessel.

At 2:30 p.m. local time, Churchill fired additional warning shots, and at that time the crew of the suspected pirate vessel established communications by radio and indicated that they would begin sending personnel to Churchill via their small boat in tow.

About 30 minutes later, the master of the pirate vessel started sending members of the crew to Churchill. U.S. Navy Sailors from Churchill then boarded the suspect vessel and discovered small-arms weapons on board.

(A Defense Department release)