French soldiers free two hostages from a hijacked sailing boat

French soldiers reportedly freed two hostages from a hijacked sailing boat in the Gulf of Aden on 16 September 2008. Military officials stated that Somali pirates had seized the vessel on 2 September and demanded a US$1.4 million ransom for the release of the French couple. Reports indicate that at least one pirate was killed and six others captured in the operation. Government representatives stated that French President Nicolas Sarkozy gave the order to launch a rescue mission. Sarkozy also told reporters that the French navy will begin escorting ships through the dangerous waters of the Gulf of Aden. Military officials reported no further details regarding the rescue operation. French commandos conducted a similar rescue operation to free a seized vessel off the Somali coast in April 2008. In a separate incident, another group of Somali pirates stormed a tanker ship in nearby waters of the Gulf of Aden. Maritime officials stated that the vessel is believed to be owned by a Hong Kong-based chemical company. It is unknown how many hostages the hijackers may have captured.