Indian shot by pirates off Bahrain

Dubai: A 47-year-old Indian fisherman has been shot dead on board a vessel during an armed robbery by pirates near Bahrain’s sea border.

Thomas Glattus Soosai was shot in the abdomen when pirates boarded the Bahraini ship, 10 nautical miles northwest of Bahrain’s sea border, in an area known as Alrkaa, authorities said.

The pirates looted the vessel before leaving Soosai and his six crew mates adrift at sea last Wednesday.

The vessel was later found floating three nautical miles east of Shaikh Khalifa Port by the coastguard, but Soosai had already died by then.

“Four pirates were involved in the robbery and an investigation has been launched,” Coast Guard Commander Commodore Ala Abdulla Sayadi said.