[File photo]

The 24th and 25th Chinese naval escort flotillas fired warning shots on Jan. 1 to expel four suspected pirate boats attempting to approach a commercial vessel at high speed. The commercial vessel was then safely escorted to the east of the Gulf of Aden. 

The escort team made plans to ensure the commercial vessels's safety beforehand. The vessel, named "Bob and Kate" and hailing from Panama originally, was an easy target because of its low freeboard and slow sailing speed.

The escort team found double hooks installed on the four offending boats, and discovered no fishing tools in the cabins besides a large number of oil drums and other items covered by quilts.

Pirate activities are reportedly on the rise in the waters of the Gulf of Aden, with several commercial vessels having been attacked and hijacked recently. To increase their efficacy, escort teams have used radar, photoelectricity and other observational methods in the course of their missions.