Seychelles Coast Guard Rescues 4 Seychellois Fishermen From Pirates
Thu, 21 April 2011
April 20 2011 -- The Seychelles Coast Guard rescued four Seychellois fishermen on the fishing vessel "Gloria" this morning, who had been captured by Somali pirates yesterday.
Frank Orphe, Bernard Reginald, Beatty Souffe and Angelin Dorizo are on their way back to Mahé following the rescue operation.
Seven Somali pirates have been captured.
On Tuesday 19th April, the Seychelles Coast Guard received a distress call from an unknown fishing vessel that was later identified as a local fishing vessel "Gloria."
President James Michel, the Commander in Chief of the Seychelles People's Defense Forces, immediately ordered a rescue mission for the fishermen and the Seychelles Coast Guard vessels Andromache and La Flèche, as well as a fast response boat, together with the SPDF with Tazar personel, and the Indian Dornier surveillance aircraft were launched in the operation.
In the evening of 19th April, a discreet approach was made by the Seychelles Coast Guard vessels towards the "Gloria", while tracking the vessel on radar. The Seychelles Coast Guard made several radio calls ordering the "Gloria" to stop but no response was received from the pirates.
The Coast Guard and Tazar then launched an operation at first light this morning which resulted in the rescue of the four Seychellois fishermen and the capture of the suspected pirates. The operation was conducted approximately 150 nautical miles North East of Mahé.
One Seychellois fisherman, Bernard Reginald, was wounded during the operation, together with three Somali suspected pirates. They are being transferred to Mahé for medical treatment at Seychelles Hospital today.
The other fishermen and the captured suspected pirates are expected to arrive on Mahé tomorrow morning.