France captures 35 ‘pirates’ in three days off the Somali coast

The French Navy has captured 35 suspected pirates in three days of operations off the coast of Somalia — the biggest haul in the two years since EU naval ships started patrolling the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

In operations over the weekend the Nivose, a French frigate, seized four mother ships and six skiffs. In one raid on Sunday, French and EU forces used helicopters and fired warning shots to stop and capture a mother ship and two accompanying vessels.

The prisoners are expected to be flown to Kenya, which is already prosecuting about 100 pirates on behalf of Western nations with forces in the area.

The French Navy and special forces have captured nearly 100 pirates and killed half a dozen since a luxury French yacht was captured in April 2008. About ten pirates are awaiting trial in French jails.