As a multinational force off Somalia built up its military muscle, French forces staged their rescue after talks broke down.
One hostage and two pirates were killed and three other adults and a child on the yacht, the Tanit, were rescued six days after it was seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, a spokesman for Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, said.
Meanwhile, the pirates defy America….
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We are not afraid of the Americans,” one of the pirates told Reuters by satellite telephone on behalf of the gang holding the captain.
“We will defend ourselves if attacked.” A pirate commander onshore in the Somali pirate town of Eyl said that preparations were being made by other pirates to set sail to help their beleaguered friends.
“We are planning to reinforce our colleagues who told us that a navy ship was closing in on them and I hope the matter will soon be solved,” said Abdi Garad. “We are making final preparations and will try our best to save our friends.”
Speaking of beleaguered, The Belmont Club remembers all hostages that nobody seems to care about. It is a useful counterbalance to all the news coverage being given to the captured American captain.