By KUNA,
Paris : France said on Monday that it was in close contact with the Somali government regarding the fate of six sea pirates captured Saturday by French Special Forces.
The pirates had been involved in the week-long hostage taking aboard the luxury yacht “Le Ponant” before fleeing Friday, allegedly with a ransom for the boat and its 30-member crew, 22 of whom were French and eight Philippino.
The crew is being transported Monday to Djibouti aboard the French naval frigate, “Jean DArc,” while the pirates are headed for the same destination aboard the frigate “Jean Bart,” Defence and Foreign Ministry sources said.
The question now is what jurisdiction the pirates will be placed under for prosecution and trial.
Analysts in Paris said they could be brought here because the Somali authorities authorized the French military action, which allowed for the pirates capture.
“We are in close contact with the Somali authorities on this file whose juridical aspects are part of inter-ministerial consultations,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pascale Andreani said in answer to a KUNA question on the subject.
The crew of “Le Ponant” are expected back in Paris aboard a French military airbus on Monday night and they will be greeted on arrival by President Nicolas Sarkozy and members of their families, the Elysee Palace announced.