Seychelles Coast Guard

The Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) is a branch of the Seychelles People's Defence Force created in 1993. It is a maritime, military, multi-mission service. They acquired responsibility for search and rescue for vessel incidents as well as environmental protection from the Seychelles Port Authority, formerly known as the Port and Marine Services Division.

Although Seychelles is a small country, it is located off the Horn of Africa, strategically close to the operation of notorious pirates. Sri Lanka, China, United Arab Emirates and India  have made strategic donations of patrol vessels to the Seychelles.

History
Through the Seychelles Coast Guard's employment of her small fleet, Seychelles has been able to arrest, try, and convict many pirates. On April 20, 2011, the Seychellois patrol boats La Fleche and Andromache engaged Somali pirates in combat for over an hour and a half before recapturing the Seychellois fishing vessel Gloria which had been taken by the pirates two days earlier. In 2013 the UAE paper The National reported that Seychelles was imprisoning more than 100 convicted pirates at the time.

In May 2011, the SCG helped to protect the privacy of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their honeymoon on the North Island. At the end of their stay, the couple invited several members of the Coast Guard ashore to personally thank them for their efforts.

In 2023 the country is involved in Operation Prosperity Guardian.

Equipment
Patrol ships are named after local fishing banks and natural features.

Former vessels

 * Andromache

Aircraft

 * Harbin Y-12
 * Dornier 228