European Union naval forces captured seven Somali pirates after they tried to take over a French fishing vessel, which repulsed the attack with gunfire, officials said.

The international flotilla also searched on Wednesday for a British yachting couple believed taken by pirates, who are holding more than 170 hostages from at least seven vessels along the Somali coast.

Relatives of the British couple pleaded with their possible captors to end the family's "bad dream."

"If I was to give a message to the pirates, I'd say you've got the wrong people," said Jill Marshment, the sister of Paul Chandler, Britain's Press Association reported.

Pirates in two skiffs fired on the French fishing boat about 350 miles (560 kilometers) east of the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Tuesday, said Cmdr. John Harbour of the European Union Naval Force.

French military personnel aboard the trawler, the Cape Saint Vincent, returned fire, French military spokesman Rear Adm. Christophe Prazuck said. It did not appear that any of the shots hit the pirates, he said.

A German warship was dispatched to the scene, as was a helicopter, which fired warning shots at the pirates, who then were seen throwing items overboard. Once the warship arrived, seven pirates were detained, the EU Naval Force said.

"We've got them on board and we will prosecute them," Harbour said.

The seven pirates could be prosecuted in France, Germany, Kenya or Seychelles, Harbour said.

The attack off the east coast of Africa came the same day authorities said it appeared likely Somali pirates had captured a British couple sailing on a yacht.

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