Somali Pirates Free French Yacht Hostages

No word on whether ransom changed hands
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 11, 2008 11:03 AM CDT
Somali Pirates Free French Yacht Hostages
This aerial photo shows gunmen, top left on deck, aboard French cruise ship Le Ponant off Somalia's coast.    (AP Photo)

Somali pirates have freed the crew members of the French yacht they commandeered last week, AFP reports. All 30 hostages, including 22 French nationals, were handed over “without incident” in a deal negotiated by the military, Nicolas Sarkozy said.

The French Navy captured the pirates, the AP reports. A spokesman for the company that owns the yacht said it expects the vessel to reach port Tuesday “with or without the crew,” who may go ahead while the Navy sails the yacht. (More France stories.)

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