Battle
On 30 April, Seychelles Coast Guard patrol vessel Topaz approached a captured vessel where nine Somali pirates were holding six Seychellois and 21 Iranian sailors hostage, and were attempting to reach the Somali coast. A Somali translator aboard Topaz sent audio calls urging the immediate release of the hostages, but the pirates ignored these demands, and continued towards the coast of Somalia even when warning shots were fired by Topaz. Seychellois President James Michel gave the order to prevent the pirates from reaching the Somali coastline at all cost.
The pirates opened fire on Topaz with rocket-propelled grenades, which Topaz evaded. Topaz then opened fire on the dhow's engine with 12.7 mm machine guns, firing a total of 10,000 rounds. The engine caught fire, forcing all of the pirates and hostages to jump overboard. Topaz then rescued all of the hostages and arrested the Somali pirates. [2] While en route back to the Seychelles, Topaz was approached by Somali pirates in a naval trawler and two skiffs. The pirates opened fire on Topaz, after which Topaz returned fire. The pirate trawler caught fire and exploded after being hit, and a skiff was also sunk by the return fire, while the last skiff managed to escape. Topaz then proceeded to Mahé. [3] [4]
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PS Topaz is a Trinkat-class patrol vessel owned and operated by the Seychelles Coast Guard. She was formerly operated by the Indian Navy as INS Tarmugli (T64). India, like China and the United Arab Emirates, have helped equip the Seychelles Coast Guard with patrol vessels. India, China, and the UAE helped equip the tiny Seychelles with these patrol vessels due to its strategic location, very near the area off the Horn of Africa that is notorious for pirate attacks.
Seychelles 
