This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/7342292.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Pirates release French yacht crew | Pirates release French yacht crew |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The crew of a luxury French yacht held by pirates near Somalia have been freed "without incident", French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said. | The crew of a luxury French yacht held by pirates near Somalia have been freed "without incident", French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said. |
| He thanked the French military for their role in freeing the 30 hostages on board The Ponant which was taken in the Gulf of Aden last Friday. | He thanked the French military for their role in freeing the 30 hostages on board The Ponant which was taken in the Gulf of Aden last Friday. |
| The 850-tonne, three-masted yacht was sailing back to the Mediterranean from the Seychelles when it was seized. | The 850-tonne, three-masted yacht was sailing back to the Mediterranean from the Seychelles when it was seized. |
| Somali coastal waters are known to be among the most hazardous in the world. | Somali coastal waters are known to be among the most hazardous in the world. |
| More than 25 ships were seized by pirates there in 2007. | More than 25 ships were seized by pirates there in 2007. |
| "The president expresses his deep gratitude to the French armed forces and all the state services which enabled a rapid and peaceful solution to this hostage-taking," Mr Sarkozy's statement said, without giving further details. | "The president expresses his deep gratitude to the French armed forces and all the state services which enabled a rapid and peaceful solution to this hostage-taking," Mr Sarkozy's statement said, without giving further details. |
| France has troops in nearby Djibouti and also participates in a multi-national naval force that patrols this part of the Indian Ocean. | |
| The threat from pirates prompted France to order its navy, in November last year, to escort two ships carrying food aid to Somalia. | The threat from pirates prompted France to order its navy, in November last year, to escort two ships carrying food aid to Somalia. |
| In November 2005, pirates attempted to board a cruise ship carrying 600 passengers off the Somali coast. | In November 2005, pirates attempted to board a cruise ship carrying 600 passengers off the Somali coast. |
| Somalia has not had an effective central government for more than 17 years and is plagued by insecurity. | Somalia has not had an effective central government for more than 17 years and is plagued by insecurity. |