U.S. Navy destroyer, USS Kidd, responded to a distress call from the captain of the Iranian fishing boat,"Al Molai," the captain or "master" of the ship claimed he and his crew were being held captive by pirates in the Arabian Sea. The U.S. Navy team boarded the ship Thursday and detained 15 pirates who had been holding the 13-member Iranian crew hostage for over 40 days and were using the vessel for pirating operations in the Gulf. The rescue took place the week after a week of hostile rhetoric from Iranian leaders and a statement by Iran's Army chief that American vessels are no longer welcome in the Gulf. Iran also warned it could block the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway that carries to market much of the oil pumped in the Middle East.
It was not known how long or if the captain of the Iranian fishing vessel had been calling for help from the Iranian navy.
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