An Indian navy warship in the Gulf of Aden thwarted a piracy attempt on a foreign vessel, the Indo-Asian News Service reported Sunday.

The news service quoted an Indian navy officer as saying the INS Godavari got a distress call at 17:30 p.m. (1200 GMT) Saturday that a pirate's skiff was approaching them and it sent a helicopter which fired warning shots at the pirates.

The Indian navy warship also sent a team on board the pirates' skiff and all the materials like ladders used to board ships were seized.

The seven to eight pirates had thrown all their weapons in the sea before they were released, said the report.

The nationality and name of the vessel which asked for help were not mentioned in the report.

This was the second successful anti-piracy operation by INS Godavari in the Somali waters since mid-November, said the report.