Two Somali pirates have been killed and another two injured after violence broke out on the Bermuda-flagged MV Talca, which was hijacked in the Indian Ocean last month.

The ship has 22-member crew of various nationalities, none of whom were injured.

According to reports a row broke out between the pirates on Saturday after a dispute over where they should take the hijacked cargo vessel. One report states the pirates are loyal to two different pirate factions and argued over whether to leave the ship anchored where it was or move it to the pirate stronghold of Garacad in Somalia.

The argument led to a fatal gun battle aboard the ship between the two factions who allegedly hail from different regions of largely ungoverned Somalia.

As of Saturday April 17 the MV Talca was held off the North-Eastern Indian Ocean coast of Somalia.

The Talca, a refrigerated cargo vessel, was on her way to Iran from Egypt when she was attacked and overwhelmed by Somali pirates in two skiffs off the coast of Oman Jordan on March 23.

On-board were over $4 million worth of Egyptian oranges destined for Busheir Iran.