nternational military officials have vowed to step up their fight against Somali pirates as swarms of them are reportedly moving into the waters off east Africa.
The EU Naval Force said it was expecting a surge in attacks now the monsoon season was over, resulting in calmer waters.
Nearly half the 47 ships hijacked off Somalia last year were taken in March and April.
On Friday, pirates and military personnel battled against each other in several shootouts.
In the most serious skirmish, six pirates in a skiff attacked a vessel before breaking off and chasing a French fishing boat.
French military personnel onboard a nearby ship fired warning shots at the pirates.
The ship then approached the skiff and collided with it, sinking the skiff and throwing the pirates into the water.
An EU Naval Force helicopter tracks a pirate boat during the skirmishes on Friday
Cmdr John Harbour, spokesman for the EU Naval Force, said four of the gang were rescued, but two others were missing.
March and April are the most dangerous months for ships traveling the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, but this season ship owners say they are better prepared to evade pirates.
But while crews are making it harder for pirates to capture ships and earn multi-million dollar ransoms, the pirates are increasingly turning violent.
The International Maritime Bureau says only seven ships were fired on worldwide in 2004 but that 114 ships were fired on last year off the Somali coast alone.
Huge ransoms have lured criminal gangs into piracy and ransom inflation has made it more expensive to buy the freedom of the more than 130 hostages still being held.
Among those hostages are retired British couple Paul and Rachel Chandler who were snatched from their 38ft yacht four months ago.
The pirates had been demanding £5m since capturing the couple, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, but a senior Somali official was hopeful the couple may be released within two weeks.
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