Capt Roucou’s 88 days sold out-● New batch expected by next month |18 October 2011

A first consignment of the book, which was flown in by Air Seychelles in time for the high-level conference on piracy last month, were snatched up by conference delegates, while a limited number went on sale at Victoria outlets.

Capt Roucou says a fresh batch will arrive by boat towards the end of October and will go on sale at usual book outlets soon after -- at the price of R225.

The book is an account of the misadventure of Capt Roucou and six other crewmen of the Indian Ocean Explorer while steaming from Assumption to Mahe in 2009.

The boat was seized by pirates on March 27 that year and was forced to sail to Somalia where the crew were held hostage for almost three months -- 88 days to be precise -- while intense negotiations took place between the local negotiating team and the pirates for their release.