Mumbai, Sep 6 (IANS) An Indian Navy ship prevented Somalian and Yemeni pirates from hijacking 12 merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden Sunday, an official defence spokesperson said Monday.

This is the 16th piracy attempt foiled by the Indian Navy since it started its anti-piracy mission in the region in October 2008.

Guided-missile destroyer INS Delhi was escorting the formation of 12 merchant navy ships, including an Indian ship, MV Jag Ratan in the pirate-infested waters when around noon, a high-speed boat was detected approaching the convoy, around 180 km north of the Somalian coast, in the International Recommended Transit Corridor.

Immediately, the INS Delhi made warning calls on the Mercantile Marine Radio, but the boat failed to respond to them.

Sensing danger, the destroyer safely manoeuvered the formation away and despatched a helicopter, which stopped the rogue boat, Bareeda, in its tracks.

Shortly afterwards, a crack team of marine commandos boarded the boat and overpowered the pirates - seven heavily-armed Somalians and one Yemeni national. A cache of arms, several drums of fuel and ship boarding equipment was also found.

The commandos disarmed the pirates and disposed off the excess fuel to prevent any piracy attempt, the spokesperson said.

As part of the Indian response to the piracy menace in the area, the Indian Navy has escorted over 1,200 ships so far.