During his trip to India da Gama met hostility in the Arab-controlled territories of East Africa. Eventually the expedition resorted to piracy, looting unarmed Arab merchant ships. During the second expedition, Gama's fleet set about capturing any Arab vessel he came across in Indian waters, most notoriously the Miri, a pilgrim ship from Mecca, whose passengers (including women and children) he had locked and buried to death - despite their offers to pay ransom and begs for mercy.