Sources: Indian navy destroyed wrong ship

U.S. officials: Hijacked trawler, not pirate 'mother ship,' was sunk

Image: A pirate vessel burns on Nov. 18 after being attacked by the Indian Navy.

In this photo released by the Indian navy, a vessel burns after being attacked. Indian officials initially said the boat was a pirate "mother ship" but U.S. officials said Tuesday it was actually a hijacked ship that was sunk by mistake.

MUMBAI, India - The ship that an Indian navy frigate sank last week was not the pirate "mother ship", as first claimed, but was actually the hijacked ship itself, U.S. military sources told NBC News Tuesday.

The report contradicts earlier claims made by the Indian navy, which said its frigate fired in "self-defense" at a pirate ship that was intercepted off the coast of Oman. They touted the incident as a "successful interdiction operation."

One crewmember of the Ekwat Nava 5, a Thai fishing vessel, reportedly was rescued alive after six days at sea. The body of another sailor was recovered; 14 others remain missing.