French Cruise Ship Seized by Pirates off Somalia Coast

[Matt Molnar]

Pirates Seize Control of French Cruise Ship Off Coast of Somalia

Friday, April 04, 2008

PARIS — France's Foreign Ministry says pirates have seized control of a French cruise ship off the coast of Somalia.

A ministry official says details are scarce about Friday's attack. It is not clear whether any passengers are on board or how many crew members are on the vessel. The ship is in the high seas in the Gulf of Aden.

[Midnight Mike]

France sends elite troops to help free yacht hostages

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hea ... 80051.html (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/world/5680051.html)

PARIS — Elite French troops were headed to East Africa to bolster efforts to free captives of a yacht held by pirates off Somalia, a French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said today.

A team of the GIGN, a commando force that conducts anti-terrorist and hostage rescue operations, was being sent to Djibouti to "reinforce" negotiation teams in place, spokeswoman Pascale Andreani said in an online briefing.

Pirates seized the yacht, called Le Ponant, in the Gulf of Aden on Friday. It was carrying 30 crew members, including 22 French citizens, but no passengers.

French officials made contact with the pirates overnight.

[PhilDernerJr]

France sends elite troops....

When the hell did the French get a military?

Are they going to just board the ship and surrender?

[Midnight Mike]

When the hell did the French get a military?

Are they going to just board the ship and surrender?

Funny that you mentioned that, here is another comment that I read

France sends elite troops armed with state-of-the-art white flags to help free yacht hostages


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/MidnightMike/Comments/french-surrender20moto.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/MidnightMike/Comments/french_knife2.jpg