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U.S. Navy Battles Suspected Pirates off Somali Coast

The U.S. military said Saturday that two Navy ships traded fire with suspected pirates off the coast of the beleaguered African nation of Somalia. The U.S. Navy confirmed that one suspect is dead and five were wounded. Hijackings and piracy have recently surged off Somalia - which has had no central government since 1991.

The incident happened early on Saturday as the ships were conducting maritime security operations, according to a statement by the Naval Forces Central Command. The ships spotted a suspect vessel, which opened fire on them. Somali sources reported that the suspected pirates claimed the U.S. Navy opened fire first.

In any case, naval officials said they detained 12 suspects after the incident and confiscated a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and automatic weapons, this after the American ships responded with small arms fire on the suspected small pirate ship. No Americans were injured in the incident.