A French frigate involved in an EU anti-piracy mission off Somalia has detained 22 suspected pirates from six separate boats in the Indian Ocean, France's Defence Ministry has said. The Nivose first captured 11 people from a "mother boat" and two accompanying skiffs about 180 nautical miles east of Mogadishu by tracking them after they tried to attack a French oceanographic vessel. The ministry statement late on Friday said the suspects were being held on board the Nivose.