French Fool Pirates
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Comment: Two things: 1) The French have a Navy; and 2) French Navy looks like commercial fishing boats?ABC News wrote:
Monday, 4 May , 2009 08:14:00
Reporter: Andrew Geoghegan
TONY EASTLEY: The French navy has hoodwinked pirates off the Somalian coast and arrested 11 of them after the pirates apparently mistook the navy ship for a commercial vessel.
The French naval ship was part of the European Union's efforts to control piracy in the area.
Andrew Geoghegan is our Africa correspondent.
Andrew Geoghegan, these latest arrests involve the French navy. Tell us about it.
ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Well, Tony, early Sunday morning African time it appears that the French chanced upon a group of pirates. There was a mother ship carrying the pirates plus two skiffs.
Now it appears that the pirates mistook this French frigate for a commercial ship - a big mistake as far as they are concerned because the French then managed to launch an attack on the pirates. They launched a helicopter where they fired warning shots and then commandos from the French frigate managed to capture the pirates in their skiffs and then board the mother ship.
So they have 11 pirates captive.