Italian cargo ship reclaimed from Somali pirates

BRITISH and US forces have stormed a hijacked Italian cargo ship in the Indian Ocean, freeing the 23-man crew and capturing all 11 Somali pirates, Italian officials said yesterday.

Italy’s foreign ministry issued a statement welcoming the operation, which it said was carried out by forces from two naval vessels, one from the US and one from Britain. The Italian news agency Ansa said they were special forces.

The foreign ministry said the crew of the 55,675-ton bulk carrier Montecristo had taken refugee inside an armoured shelter on the ship when it was hijacked on Monday and had continued to steer it, bringing it closer to areas where anti-piracy forces patrolled.