SEYCHELLES:

Dive vessel “Live-aboard” which is very popular among the British divers, has been captured by Somali pirates with team of seven people. Somali pirates attacked them near the Seychelles, hundreds of miles far from their den in the East African coast.

By happy coincidence ship Indian Ocean Explorer dropped passengers at the Island Esampshen when the vessel was attacked, said Kirk Green, Director Aquatours (London tour operator, who ordered a dive tour). M-r Kirk said that the Royal Navy had informed him by e-mail that the ship was hijacked and is in a pirate citadel to the north of Mogadishu. It is unlikely that the vessel will be released in less than three months.

«On the one hand, we feel relief, because none of our clients has been captured – said Dr. Green, – But on the other hand, we are extremely concerned about the fate of the team». All seven team members were from the Seychelles. The attack happened last weekend, according to the Navy, but news about it just now came to us.

Last year Somali pirates have turned a significant portion of the Indian Ocean into a dangerous zone for ships without military escort, and the recent attacks show that the pirates are “working” farther from home – at about 1 000 km from original base – successfully avoiding an international flotilla of warships.

Coral archipelago of the Seychelles is one of the best diving destination in the world, and its ancient shores each year lure thousands of tourists. Therefore, the Government of islands after the last incident has raised the security forces to protect the outer islands.

«Our troops are ready for everything, – said Brigadier Leopold Payet, Commander of the military forces of the islands.