U.S. Navy Warship Rescues Iranian Fishing Boat Crew Held By Pirates

NORTHERN ARABIAN SEA - JANUARY 5: In this handout provided by the U.S. Navy, U.S. sailors assigned to the guided missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92) respond to a medical emergency aboard the Iranian fishing vessel Al Molai off the coast of Somalia approximately 400 nautical miles north of the Republic of Seychelles January 5, 2012 in the Arabian Sea. Tha Al Molai, which had been held captive by pirates for more than 40 days, had issued a distress call on Thursday, to which U.S. forces responded, according to the Navy. The rescue comes amid escalating tensions over an Iranian threat to close the Straight of Hormuz in response to sanctions over Iran's nuclear enrichment program. Momsen is assigned to Combined Task Force 151 supporting counter-piracy operations in the Somali Basin and Gulf of Aden. (Photo by U.S. Navy via Getty Images )