NEW DELHI: The pirate “mother ship” sunk last week by the Indian Navy was actually a Thai fishing trawler seized hours earlier by pirates, a maritime agency said yesterday, but the Indian Navy defended its actions, saying it fired in self-defense.

One Thai crew member died and 14 sailors remain missing after the Indian frigate INS Tabar fired on the trawler, the Ekawat Nava5, in the Gulf of Aden on Nov. 18, according to Bangkok-based Sirichai Fisheries, which owned the boat, and Noel Choong, who heads the piracy reporting center of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) in Kuala Lumpur.

“The Indian Navy assumed it was a pirate vessel because they may have seen armed pirates on board the boat which had been hijacked earlier,” Choong said.

Indian Navy said last week that the INS Tabar, which began patrolling the gulf on Nov. 2, battled a pirate “mother ship” on Nov. 18, setting the ship ablaze.

In New Delhi, Indian Navy spokesman Cmdr. Nirad Sinha said yesterday that the INS Tabor was responding to threats from pirates on board. “Insofar as we are concerned, both its description and its intent were that of a pirate ship,” he said. “Only after we were fired upon did we fire. We fired in self-defense. There were gun-toting guys with RPGs on it.”

Sirichai Fisheries found out about the mishap after speaking to a Cambodian sailor who was rescued four days later by passing fishermen, said Wicharn Sirichaiekawat, the company’s managing director. The sailor is recuperating in a Yemeni hospital.

Thailand has sought a clarification from the Indian Navy on the incident, Thai officials said in Bangkok. “We have asked the Indian authorities to help us verify the ownership of the vessel and then clarify their rules of engagement,” said Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat. Thailand also asked New Delhi whether its navy frigate attempted to assist any of the survivors after it sank the vessel.

“We are saddened with what has happened. It’s an unfortunate tragedy. We hope that this incident won’t affect the anti-piracy operation by the multicoalition navies there,” Choong added.

Sirichaiekawat said his company had contacted the IMB after getting messages from other boats in the region that the trawler had come under attack.

Meanwhile, Somali pirates demanding $25 million for a Saudi supertanker called yesterday for stepped up and “honest” talks to free the vessel ahead of the Nov. 30 ransom deadline.

Mohammed Sayeed, the leader of the group which 11 days ago captured the Sirius Star told AFP that protracted talks were not helping them, the ship’s owners or the crew.