Berlin  - One suspected pirate died Monday during a German navy attempt to stop a suspicious-looking boat off the coast of Somalia, the German navy command centre in Potsdam announced.

The Brandenburg frigate, engaged in an anti-piracy mission, had tried to halt the speedboat travelling with five armed men on board. The crew had refused a spot check, and did not react to alerts or warning shots.

As a result the German navy vessel tried to block the speedboat's manoeuvres through gunfire. One of the suspected pirates was killed in the process, the command centre said. (dpa)