The New Nation - Internet Edition

Agency

India says it will send warships to the Gulf of Aden to protect its container vessels from pirates operating off the coast of Somalia.

A defence official said one warship would be deployed immediately and that the number could be increased later. The announcement coincided with protests by families of 18 Indian sailors who have been held captive on a ship by Somali pirates since August.

There has been a recent surge in piracy off the coast of Somalia.

Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991 and has suffered continuing civil strife.

Warships from several countries are already patrolling the Gulf of Aden, which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

Eighteen of the 22 crew on the Japanese-owned merchant vessel held since August are Indian. The wife of the captain told the BBC that she had been told that India would not be sending in naval warships immediately.