France Denounced Seizure of Yacht, Crew As Piracy

France Denounced Seizure of Yacht, Crew As Piracy

April 4, 2008 6:25 p.m. EST

Florida Padilla - AHN

Paris, France (AHN) - Prime Minister Francois Fillon confirmed Friday that Somali pirates has captured a luxury yacht and taken hostage its 30 crewmembers. Fillon denounced the incident, telling reporters while on a visit to Brussels that the pirates' control of the 288-foot French ship is a "blatant act of piracy," according to the Associated Press.

Fillon also revealed that France's concerned agencies were already instructed to take the necessary steps to resolve the situation.

"The Defense and Foreign Ministries are mobilized to act as quickly as possible. I hope that in the coming minutes or hours to try to win the freedom of these hostages," Fillon was quoted as saying by AP.

Authorities reported that the luxury ship was in the Gulf of Aden when armed Somalis jumped aboard, took control of the ship and made hostages of its crew. No passengers were reported on board.

Ship owner CMA-CGM confirmed that "Le Ponnant" was the vessel seized by the armed men.

"The ship is indeed the Ponant, property of the CMA-CGM group. We were informed that there were pirates on board," a company spokesman said, according to the Agence France-Presse. The spokesman added that the group is "working closely with foreign ministry".

A statement by the company said they would not provide more information on the incident "to avoid endangering its crew taken hostage."

The three-masted 850-ton yacht, equipped with lounges, bar and restaurant, was on its way from the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean when it was seized.