CAIRO, Egypt -- A security team aboard a U.S. Navy oiler sailing off the pirate-infested coast of Somalia fired warning shots at two small approaching boats and chased them away, American officials said yesterday.
A Navy statement said that although it was not certain that the boats carried pirates, it was clear "they were not following the international rules of the road" during the incident Tuesday.
The 41,000-ton oiler is one of 14 such vessels supplying U.S. warships in an international coalition that is patrolling near the Horn of Africa nation to watch for pirates. In the past year, 57 ships have been attacked by gunmen in speedboats operating from Somalia.
