Somalia pirates release hostages: Sarkozy
PARIS (AFP) — Pirates off the coast of Somalia have released 30 hostages who were seized aboard a French yacht a week ago, President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday.
The hostages including 22 French crew aboard Le Ponant were freed "without incident," said the president in a statement, without providing details.
A French military source said the hostages were freed following negotiations and that there was no army operation to win their release.
The 32-cabin vessel, which was hijacked on April 4, was anchored off Puntland, a breakaway northern region of Somalia.
"The president of the republic announces the release of the 30 hostages, including 22 French nationals, of the Le Ponant sailboat, off the Somali coast," said the Elysee statement.
Sarkozy expressed "his deep gratitude to the French army forces and all the state services who helped bring about a quick end, without incident, to this hostage taking."
Details of the release operation were expected to be made public following a meeting between Sarkozy and the hostages' families later in the day.
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner welcomed the release and said preparations were under way to return the freed hostages to France as soon as possible.
He urged the international community to take action to fight piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast and said talks were under way at the United Nations on the issue.
Kouchner on Tuesday said contacts were under way with the pirates to secure the release of the hostages, but he did not provide details on the negotiations which were thought to involve a ransom payment.
"We are hoping for an outcome which does not involve the spilling of blood," Kouchner said.
A French naval warship maintained close surveillance with troops from the French gendarmerie's elite counter-terrorism and hostage rescue unit stationed in nearby Djibouti.
