NAIROBI, Kenya, November 2, 2007 – The U.S. Navy is cracking down on pirates who've been raiding commercial ships off the coast of Somalia.

In the latest episodes, the Navy says warships are working to get pirates off two ships, including a Japanese tanker hijacked Sunday. The tanker was on its way to Europe with a shipment of benzene. Crewmembers are from the Philippines, South Korea and Myanmar.

The Philippines says the tanker's Filipino captain reports the 23 crew members are safe and that the pirates have made no demands. The sister of a crew member says negotiations are under way for the release of the ship. On Sunday, a U.S. destroyer fired at and sank two pirate boats that had tied up alongside the tanker.

The U.S. Navy has also helped a North Korean ship whose crew overpowered pirates in a clash that left one pirate dead. Those hijackers are being held until they can be handed over for prosecution.

Source: AP