A disabled cruise ship will spend an extra 10 to 12 hours at sea without electricity, air conditioning or toilet facilities because of a row over tugs, a Seychelles minister says.

The passengers aboard a disabled cruise ship will spend 10 to 12 hours longer at sea than needed because a French vessel towing the ship refused to give way to tugboats from the Seychelles, a Seychelles government minister says.

Helicopters ferried food, phones and flashlights to more than 1,000 passengers and crew stuck aboard a disabled cruise ship being towed to the Seychelles Islands through waters prowled by pirates.

The Royal Navy has detained seven suspected pirates in the Indian Ocean, Britain's Ministry of Defence said today.

Prince William and his new wife, the former Kate Middleton, have left the island nation of the Seychelles after a 10-day honeymoon, officials said today.

Fears are growing for four Americans whose yacht was captured a by pirates in the Indian Ocean off the Somali coast.

The United Arab Emirates is pledging around €11.5m to boost anti-piracy patrols by the Indian Ocean nation of the Seychelles.

Urgent searches were underway today to find a British couple thought to have been hijacked by pirates off the east coast of Africa.

Rescuers were today searching for a British couple feared to have been hijacked by pirates off the east coast of Africa.

Two security contractors - a Briton and Kenyan - and three former hostages released by Somali pirates are facing prison over an alleged plot to swap the captives for 23 suspected pirates on a desolate Somali airstrip, officials said today.

France Albert René, one of the world’s longest-serving leaders, stepped down today after nearly three decades as president of the Seychelles.