AFR: One hostage dies, four freed from Somali pirates
11 Apr 2009 4:38 AM
PARIS, April 10 AFP - A hostage was killed and four others, including a child, were freed on Friday after French troops stormed a yacht seized by Somali pirates.
Talks started on Thursday to free the crew of the French yacht Tanit had broken down, said a spokesman for the president's office.
"Today (Friday) with the threats becoming more and more specific, the pirates refusing the offers made to them and the Tanit heading towards the coast, an operation to free the hostages was decided upon," said a spokesman.
"During the operation, an hostage was unfortunately killed. The four others -- including the child -- are safe and sound.
"Two pirates were killed, the three others were captured," said the spokesman.
The French yacht Tanit, with four adults and a child on board, was captured in the Gulf of Aden last Saturday.
"France has a fixed policy, which is to refuse acts of piracy and to avoid letting its nationals be taken to land as hostage," said the spokesman.
"Thus our military forces have already freed hostages from the Ponant and the Carre d'as in April and September 2008."
On April 11, 2008, French special forces freed 30 members of the Ponant, a luxury yacht that had been seized by pirates a week earlier, and captured six of the pirates on Somali territory.
On September 15, French troops freed a French couple held hostage for nearly two weeks after Somali pirates had captured their yacht, the Carre d'As. One pirate was killed in the operation and six others captured.
