NEW DELHI - Indian Navy has foiled an attack by Somali pirates on a merchant ship, west off the Lakshadweep Islands, and nabbed some 16 sea bandits and rescued 16 hostages, local media reported Monday.

"The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center alerted the ships patrolling off the Lakshadweep of a distress message received from merchant ship MV Maersk Kensington at about 11 a.m. Saturday and foiled the attack," Defense spokesperson Captain M. Nambiar was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.

The Navy's warship, INS Suvarna, was on patrol in the Arabian Sea when it was asked to follow a lead on a pirate attack on cargo ship MV Maersk Kensington about 300 nautical miles west off Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea.

Suvarna, a large offshore patrol, intercepted Morteza and warned it to stop. But the pirates fired, forcing it to retaliate which disabled Morteza.

The 16 pirates and 16 sailors were picked up from the waters by the Indian warships.

"All of them are being taken to Mumbai and will be handed over to the police for further investigations," another official told The Times of India.