From http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7342292.stm
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.
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.
Local officials said at least three people died in the raid, but France denied there had been any casualties
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.
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.
The pirates "gave themselves up without too much difficulty", the general said, adding that those captured would be handed over to French justice officials.
"It was an intervention, not a pulverisation," he added.
Nice to see som pirates being hunted down :-)
best regard
Benjamin Graff
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.
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.
Local officials said at least three people died in the raid, but France denied there had been any casualties
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.
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.
The pirates "gave themselves up without too much difficulty", the general said, adding that those captured would be handed over to French justice officials.
"It was an intervention, not a pulverisation," he added.
Nice to see som pirates being hunted down :-)
best regard
Benjamin Graff
