France negotiates with pirates who hijacked French luxury yacht Le Ponant off coast of Somalia
April 9, 2008
In France, the families of the 22 French hostages meet in Paris with Nicolas Sarkozy as France talks to Le Ponant’s attackers.
22 French nationals were taken hostage aboard the French luxury yacht Le Ponantby 10-12 armed pirates who boarded and hijacked the boat last Friday in the Gulf of Aden as it was on its way from the Seychelles to the Mediterranean.
The families of the French crew members met in Paris yesterday with President of France Nicolas Sarkozy. Foreign Affairs Minister of France Bernard Kouchner says the government of France is in communication with the pirates and that everyone hopes the matter can be resolved “without any bloodshed,” adding the the process could take some time. But while the French negotiate, they are also putting French special forces in place, leaving options open for a more forceful operation. The boat is being tracked from the air by surveillance aircraft and from the water by battleships in the area. In addition to the 22 French nationals, there are also some 10 more crew or Ukrainian and South Korean descent. No passengers for France or elsewhere were aboard at the time of the incident.
The 32-cabin Le Ponantis equipped with lounges, bar and a restaurant, is one of three operated by the French cruise operator CMA-CGM, based in Marseille, which describes itself as France’s leading cruise provider. With a capacity for 64 passengers, it offers cruises in the Gulf region, including between Egypt and Aqaba in Jordan, and off the coast of Oman. Le Ponant was set to pick up passangers in Malta later this month.
The part of the Indian Ocean where the Ponantwas attacked has become a known nest of pirates and hijackers, who regularly seize civilian vessels and then demand ransom for passengers and crew. In 2007 alone, 25 incidents took place in the waters off Somalia. Protection convoys are ordered for ships bringing aid to Somalia as these are tempting targets for the pirates. The International Maritime Bureau has reported that global pirate attacks rose 10 percent in 2007, marking the first increase in three years. The Bureau has advised civilian vessels to steer clear of the area. The hijacking of the Ponant was the second attack in the area in two days.
The French warship Le Commandant Rouen has been diverted from NATO’s Afghanistan operation to join the Yemeni coast guard in the hunt for and rescue of the captured French yacht.
Opinion is mixed on France’s approach to the crisis, with some saying that any appearance of giving in to the pirates’ demands will only encourage similar incidents.
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