US Navy captures pirates after shoot-out

US naval forces said they have captured five pirates after exchanging fire with them, sinking their boat and confiscating a larger ship.

The USS Nicholas came under fire early today from pirates in an area west of the Seychelles.

The US Africa Command said the five pirates seized would remain in US custody on board the frigate for the time being. The USS Nicholas’s home port is in Norfolk, Virginia.

International naval forces have stepped up their enforcement of the waters off East Africa in an effort to thwart a growing pirate trade.

Experts say piracy will continue to be a problem until an effective government is established on Somalia’s lawless shores. The country has not had a functioning government for 19 years.