U.S. Warships and Piracy Suspects Exchange Gunfire

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, (AP) — Two United States Navy warships exchanged gunfire with people suspected of being pirates Saturday off the coast of Somalia, killing one of them and wounding five, the Navy said.

No American sailors were wounded and 12 suspects, whose nationalities were not known, were taken into custody, said Lt. Cmdr. Charlie Brown, spokesman for the Navy's Fifth Fleet.

The battle started about 25 miles off the Somali coast when the American warships Cape St. George and Gonzalez spotted a 30-foot fishing boat towing skiffs and prepared to board the vessels. The suspects were holding what appeared to be rocket-propelled grenade launchers, the Navy said. When the suspects began shooting, naval gunners returned fire with mounted machine guns.