APA - Victoria (Seychelles) The Seychelles government has decided to allow Indian warship to patrol its exclusive economic zone amid growing cases of piracy in the region, APA learns in the Seychellois capital, Victoria on Sunday.

Official military sources indicate here that that the Indian government is sending the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Savitri to take part in the surveillance operations.

The sources add that the ship is equipped with an armed helicopter and a group of marine commandos for possible action against pirates.

The Savitri has a range of over 7,000 nautical miles and is equipped with the latest radar system and can also undertake torpedo recovery and launch and recovery of aerial and surface targets, the sources point out.

It can also be used for various other support roles, including aid during natural disasters, the sources confirmed.

According to the sources, the ship will dock in Port Victoria on November 23 where its officers will be briefed by a commanding officer of the Seychelles Coast Guard before it starts its patrols.

Meanwhile, the Spanish purse seiner the Alakrana arrived in Port Victoria under the escort of a Spanish warship after its release by Somali pirates who had captured the ship on October 2.

Vice-President, Joseph Belmont and the Spanish ambassador to Seychelles Antonio Fanchez Benedito Gaspar boarded the ship to greet the 36 sailors who were held captive in Somalia, including Seychellois Wilson Pilate.

Pilate indicated that the pirates treated the ordinary sailors well, but the captain and his officers were mistreated and had to spend the whole time in the wheelhouse.

Gaspar added that he was extremely happy the former hostages are free and that some of the members of the sailors’ families have come to the islands to greet them.

He said that the Spanish government has provided a plane to take them home and thanked the Seychellois government for its cooperation.

"The coming on board of the Vice-President to meet the former hostages is a testimony to the strong commitment Seychelles has to fighting piracy", Gaspar said.