Pirates in Gulf of Aden

Guide Note: On April 4, 2008, a group of pirates seized control of the French luxury yacht, Le Ponant, in the Gulf of Aden, between Somalia and Yemen.

The incident: The ship had been headed back to the Mediterranean Sea from the Seychelles, and was not carrying any passengers. All 30 crew members, comprising 22 French nationals and 8 citizens of the Philippines, were taken captive, reportedly without shots fired. Hostages released: On April 11, 2008 the hostages were released "without incident" after a series of negotiations led by the French army. French troops then captured 6 alleged pirates in a helicopter attack, after they attempted to return to shore. There were no injuries, and a quantity of ransom money was recovered, while 8 pirates escaped capture, according to French authorities. Sea piracy escalating: In the past year, pirates have seized more than 25 ships off the Somali coast. Two American destroyers, the USS Porter and the USS Arleigh Burke, attacked and sank two Somali pirate vessels on October 30, 2007, after the pirates had captured the Japanese tanker, Golden Mori. Pirates to stand trial: French authorities have announced that the six pirates were captured during the operation that freed the hostages. Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed has agreed to send the pirates to France, where they may stand trial. France announced that it would pursue the case as a criminal matter, rather than an act of terrorism. Fast Facts:

1. Le Ponant is a 32-cabin, four-deck yacht
2. Ship can hold up to 64 passengers
3. The International Maritime Bureau recommends sailors stay 200 nautical miles away from the Somali coast
4. Ship captured on April 4, 2008
5. Hostages released on April 11, 2008