88 Days A true story of Somali Pirates in the Indian Ocean eBook Francis Roucou
Download As PDF : 88 Days A true story of Somali Pirates in the Indian Ocean eBook Francis Roucou 
Capt. Francis Roucou had wanted to pursue a life at sea since childhood, but his youthful dreams could not have foreseen an encounter with modern day pirates.
‘88 Days’ tells of the fear and stress endured by the crew of the MV Indian Ocean
Explorer after their vessel was captured off Assumption island by Somali pirates in 2009. It also details the admirable manner in which Capt, Roucou, after ignoring an offer of freedom in exchange for information on two other tourist vessels in the vicinity, navigated his way through the minefield of ransom negotiations and the daily unpredictability of their captors to bring his entire crew safely home to Seychelles.
About the author
Francis Roucou was born in Seychelles in 1965.
After spending three months in captivity, away from your loved ones and living each day in hope of being freed from Somali pirates, many of us would not dare to go back to sea.
But captain Francis Roucou, who two years ago was one of the first Seychellois to be captured and taken to Somalia by pirates, says he is more determined than ever to go back to work at sea.
The sea has always been his passion, and as a child his dream was to learn all about navigation, he explains.
Born under the zodiac sign Libra in October 1965, Mr Roucou is the fourth child of six. He was also among the first group of students at the National Youth Service.
“During my childhood at Anse à la Mouche, I did not get much access to the seaside as I lived far up in the hills, but this did not stop me from keeping true to my dream of being a navigator,” he says.
Mr Roucou, a former student of the Maritime School from 1983-1984, says it is hard to explain what it is that fascinates him about the sea, but he had always wanted to tour the Seychelles archipelago and know more about our waters.
His first work experience at sea was in 1985, and after spending 18 months on French tuna boats he went on a nine-month course in France.
Back at sea he joined a French ship that was carrying out research on tuna species in the Indian Ocean. As a second officer, he explored small island states in the region such as Mauritius, Madagascar, Reunion and Comoros.
Mr Roucou was then asked to become captain of Seychelles’ first tuna vessel, called the Spirit of Koxe, but after spending some time on this ship things did not work out as he wished, and he became determined to go back to school in France to learn more about navigation.
When he came back he did some freelance work with the Islands Development Company and on a boat called the Shearwater, which made trips to African countries including South Africa, until 1999.
In January 2000 he took over the Indian Ocean Explorer and was still in command when it was hijacked near Assumption island in 2009.
The biggest challenge of his career came when he was made captain of the Spirit of Koxe as he was still only 25.
“I had to be responsible for a vessel that was worth around R30 million, and I hadn’t got much experience,” he says.
Apart from being a career, the sea is where Mr Roucou spends his leisure time as he loves sailing, windsurfing and diving.
He adds that even when spending time with his three children, he prefers to take them to sea. Since the piracy incident he has been back to sea, reaching Maldives. Now the fear has gone but he knows the risks are still there.
Captain Francis Roucou (right) presenting his book to President James Michel (left)
For the time being, however, he is not working but busy writing a book. As yet untitled it will, he says, describe in detail his face-to-face encounter with the Somali pirates.
The story talks about the time before the ordeal, when the boat and crew were captured, the first days in the hands of the pirates and the negotiation stage.
“The main reason I have written this book is that if any similar events happen, we will know what precautions we can take and what we can do,” he says.
Mr Roucou started to write the book in September 2009.
88 Days A true story of Somali Pirates in the Indian Ocean eBook Francis Roucou
Everyone should read this book, it's scary, heart warming, frightening intense, & field with details that you don't get out of a lot of books. This is such a great story of what the crew had to go through.Product details
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88 Days A true story of Somali Pirates in the Indian Ocean eBook Francis Roucou Reviews
I picked this book up while in the Seychelles over Christmas and found it very revealing in terms of the driving forces behind piracy in Somalia and the desperate psyche of its people driven to extremes. Captain Francis does a commendable job in storytelling and provides a great guide on how to act during a hostage situation by never assuming the role of the victim but one of a strong negotiator with little or no bargaining chips.
This provides an interesting insight into a very real problem - it may not be that well written, but hey - it was written by the captian of a tourist vessel, not a professional writer. It is still worth persisting with.
Very gripping true story about the capture of a ship in the ocean by Somali pirates and what the captain and his crew did to cope with this situation.
Having spent time on the Indian Ocean Explorer it was a riveting theory to read. The crew as I remember them were all such humble men who had a typically positive Creole view on life. The story is one of harrowing hardship and it I'd indeed sad to read what they had to endure at the hands of a band of criminals.
Everyone should read this book, it's scary, heart warming, frightening intense, & field with details that you don't get out of a lot of books. This is such a great story of what the crew had to go through.
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