Pirates hijack luxury yacht in Gulf of Aden

by Cruising World on 5 Apr 2008 The French three-masted sailing ship Le Ponant was hijacked on Friday morning in the Gulf of Aden.

A group of pirates have taken over the 88 metre, 850-tonne, three-masted French luxury yacht with 30 crew on board off the coast of Somalia. French cruise operator CMA-CGM confirmed Le Ponant had been seized on its way from the Seychelles to the Mediterranean. The luxurious yacht was scheduled to take on board passangers in Malta between April 21 and April 22.


The 32-cabin Le Ponant, is a fully equipped with lounges, bar and restaurant, is one of three operated by the Marseille-based firm, 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 the victim of an act of piracy as it was sailing between Somalia and Yemen,' CMA-CGM spokesman Christophe Prazuck said.

A spokesman for the boat's owner, the Compagnie des Iles du Ponant, said there were no holidaymakers on board, and that most of the crew are from France and Ukraine.

France’s Defence and Foreign ministries have been mobilized to act as quickly as possible, I hope in the coming minutes or hours, to try to win the freedom of these hostages,' said Prime Minister Francois Fillon wh added the incident was 'a blatant act of piracy.'

France maintains a military base in Djibouti and a naval flotilla circulating in the Indian Ocean. A military spokesman said later that a French warship, the frigate Le Commandant Bouan, had been ordered to track the yacht. A helicopter from the Canadian warship Charlottetown also was dispatched,

Pirates seized more than 25 ships off the Somali coast last year and leisure craft are advised to give the area a wide berth. The International Maritime Bureau, has reported that global pirate attacks rose 10 percent in 2007, marking the first increase in three years.

LATEST NEWS is that Le Commandant Rouen, warship, has been diverted from NATO’s Afghanistan operation to join the Yemeni coast guard in the hunt for and rescue of the captured craft.