The Amirante Islands (Ilhas do Almirantes) were discovered in 1503 by Vasco da Gama on his second exploration voyage. The islands were later renamed “Les Amirantes” (Admiral Islands) and were claimed for France in 1802. In 1814, the islands were passed on to the British as part of Mauritius and eventually, in 1909 the Seychelles became a separate colony which included, of course, the Amirante Islands. One of the Amirante Islands, Desroches (also known as Île Desroches), was split from the Seychelles by the United Kingdom in 1965 but was returned in 1976 when the Seychelles attained independence.