Antananarivo - Madagascan marines have arrested 12 Somali pirates and rescued 25 hostages on board the vessel M/V Aly Zoulficar, which was hijacked in October.
The pirates were captured 150km east of the Ambre de Diego cape in the northern parts of this Indian Ocean island on Sunday, authorities reported.
The operation was carried out by officers from the 2nd brigade of Madagascar's rapid intervention forces (RFI) and those from the Antsiranana naval airbase (BANA), led by the director of maritime operations, Rolland Rasolofonirina.
Rasolofonirina said the pirates did not resist and that they only waved a white flag to show they would surrender.
They were running out of basic supplies, with only 30 litres of drinking water and three sacks of rice left.
After the arrests, the pirates were locked up at BANA station, while the hostages - including four Madagascans - were taken to see a doctor for medical examination.
On 31 October 2010, the Somali pirates hijacked the M/V Aly Zoulficar, which was coming from Moroni and heading to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. There were nine crew members and 20 passengers.
Having moved around the Mozambican canal for more than four months, the Zoulficar got stuck in the sea as one of its engines failed due to lack of fuel.
Four hostages, among them a Madagascan, who were being surveilled upon by two of these pirates, sought assistance last Monday from Ambre de Diego cape and this led to the arrests of the Somali pirates.
The pirates will be charged in a Madagascan court, given that they were arrested within Madagascan waters and that some of the hostages were Madagascan nationals.
The South African government said last week it would be strengthening its sea border management and deploying the SS Mendi, a South African Navy MEKO Class Frigate, to resume patrols along the Mozambique Channel.
Minister of Defence Lindiwe Sisulu said government was cooperating with the Mozambican authorities to ensure maritime security in Southern African waters.
