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Pirates release French yacht crew France raid ship after crew freed
(about 3 hours later)
The crew of a luxury French yacht held by pirates near Somalia have been freed and six pirates captured, the French military says. French commandoes have carried out a helicopter raid against a group of Somali pirates soon after they released 30 hostages from a luxury French yacht.
The 30 hostages, most of them French, were on board the Ponant, which was seized in the Gulf of Aden on Friday. Gen Jean-Louis Georgelin said troops moved in after the Ponant came ashore, seized six pirates and probably found part of a ransom paid by its owners.
Gen Jean-Louis Georgelin told reporters they were freed after talks between the boat-owners and the pirates. Local officials said at least three people died in the raid, but France denied there had been any casualties.
He said public funds were not used to pay a ransom but hinted that the boat-owners may have handed over money. The 850-tonne boat and its 30 crew were seized in the Gulf of Aden last Friday.
The 850-tonne three-masted yacht was returning to the Mediterranean from the Seychelles when it was seized. It was then moored near the port of Eyl in the northern Somali semi-autonomous Puntland region, while the pirates held negotiations with its owners, French charter company CMA-CGM.
'Interesting bags''Interesting bags'
Gen Georgelin, head of the French armed forces general staff, told a news conference that in the operation to capture the pirates, troops had recovered "interesting bags" and "some of the ransom that had probably been paid." Gen Georgelin, the chief of staff of the French armed forces, said the pirates had released the hostages without incident earlier on Friday.
A source quoted by AFP news agency suggested $2m (£1m) may have been paid in ransom money. It was an intervention, not a pulverisation Gen Jean-Louis GeorgelinFrench Army Chief of Staff
Gen Georgelin said negotiations to free those held had taken place by radio between the boat-owners - a subsidiary of the CMA-CGM company - and the pirates. Once the crew had been brought ashore safely, French attack helicopters tracked the pirates, believed to be fishermen, to the village of Jariban and moved in when they saw some of them attempting to flee the scene, the general said.
As the pirates later made their escape by car in the Somali region of Mudug, they were intercepted by French forces in four helicopters, he said. A sniper disabled the engine of the get-away car, while another helicopter dropped off three French commandoes who captured six of the 12 pirates.
Gen Georgelin added that the pirates were not directly fired upon and those captured would be handed over to French justice officials. The pirates "gave themselves up without too much difficulty", the general said, adding that those captured would be handed over to French justice officials.
The governor of Mudug, Abdul Kadir Ahmed, said three bodies had been recovered after the operation. "It was an intervention, not a pulverisation," he added.
The French presidency has strongly denied that anyone was killed. President Nicolas Sarkozy earlier thanked the French military for their role in ending the crisis. Gen Georgelin said that in the course of the operation, troops had also recovered "interesting bags" and "some of the ransom that was probably paid".
"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. "Naturally, absolutely no public money was paid in this affair," he added.
Somali officials and sources close to the negotiations said the owner of the yacht had paid a $2m (£1m; 1.3m euros) ransom for the crew's release.
The governor of Mudug, Abdul Kadir Ahmed, said three bodies had been recovered after the operation and that eight people had been wounded.
But French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office strongly denied that anyone was killed in the operation. President Nicolas Sarkozy earlier thanked the French military for their role in ending the crisis.
"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," a statement said.
ThreatThreat
France has troops in nearby Djibouti and also participates in a multi-national naval force that patrols this part of the Indian Ocean.France has troops in nearby Djibouti and also participates in a multi-national naval force that patrols this part of the Indian Ocean.
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 there by pirates in 2007.
More than 25 ships were seized there by pirates in 2007.
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.