Egyptian crew overpower Somali pirates, kill 2

In this photo released by the Turkish military five alleged pirates are apprehended by Turkish commandoes in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Somalia in July 2009. [Agencies]

MOGADISHU, Somalia: A Somali pirate says the crews of two Egyptian fishing boats being held by pirates overpowered their captors, killing two of them, and escaped.

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The pirate, who gave only his nom de guerre of Miraa, says the crew attacked the pirates with machetes on Thursday and seized some of the pirates' guns before overpowering them.

Miraa says the fight took place off the coast off the northern Somalia coastal town of Las Qorey.

Miraa was speaking to The Associated Press on Friday as he recuperated from wounds he says he got during the fight.

Businessman Said Jama Hussein says the Egyptians apparently took some pirates hostage.

Pirates had held the Egyptian fishing vessels since mid-April.

Las Qorey is off the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest waterways where Somali pirates carry out most of their attacks.