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Seychelles nab three suspected Somali pirates
The Seychelles coast guard has captured three suspected Somali pirates in its waters, the office of the Indian Ocean archipelago's president said in a statement on Sunday.
The Seychelles coast guard has captured three suspected Somali pirates in its waters, the office of the Indian Ocean archipelago's president said in a statement on Sunday.
"The three men identified themselves as Somali. They were travelling in a six-metre skiff with several barrels of fuel and water onboard," the statement said, adding that the interdiction took place on Saturday.
The Seychelles coast guard ship PS Andromache was alerted to the presence of suspected pirates in its exclusive economic zone by a warship from the European Union naval mission Atalanta on April 30, the presidency said.
It tracked down the suspected pirates and eventually apprehended them in the northwestern corner of its vast 1.3-million-square-kilometre waters.
"We are exceedingly encouraged by this latest suspected pirate arrest. The arrest is further indication that a coordinated approach is an effective means of combating piracy in the region," said Seychelles President James Michel.
The PS Andromache carrying the three suspects is expected in Port Victoria later Sunday, the statement said, adding that they were to be charged during the coming week.
The operation brings to 12 of the number of suspected pirates currently held by the Seychelles authorities following the capture a week earlier of nine Somalis believed to be behind an attack on an Italian cruise ship.
