Seychelles coast guard repelled pirate attack

31.03.2010
Seychelles Coast Guard ship repelled attack of Somali pirates in Indian Ocean last night, having scuppered two boats attempted to capture the ship.

Assault of pirates who had intruded into Seychelles' special economic zone was repelled by Topaz, the only Coast Guard ship in the country. The ship was heading homeward after successful release operation of Iranian and Seychelles' hostages from hijacked sailboat.

Then a pirate cutter and two yawls approached Topaz and opened fire at her. One yawl was scuppered by reprisal fire and the cutter ignited; the third vessel retreated, informs ITAR-TASS.

Mohammed Omar, the spokesman for Seychelles Coast Guard told that seven small vessels have been hijacked during recent two days. "Those vessels were carrying goods of industrial necessity", he said. "It is notable that Somali pirates have shifted from quality to quantity. Perhaps, pirates will use recently captured vessels as mother ships".

Russia's Pacific Fleet task unit is currently deployed in the Gulf of Aden. Along with international anti-piracy force, Russian sailors will secure civil shipping and prevent pirate attacks. The task unit consists of large ASW ship Marshal Shaposhnikov, ocean-going salvage tug and tanker Pechenga.

This is the fourth Pacific Fleet (PF) task unit since the beginning of international anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden; and the first one in this year. In 2009 three PF task units were dispatched to the Gulf of Aden to escort convoys of merchant vessels.

Source: Vesti.Ru, photo: pirate assault has been repelled (Vesti.Ru)