4 ex-hostages arrive in France from Somalia

PARIS - A French official says three adults and a child who were freed from their Somali captives in a shootout at sea off Somalia have arrived in France.

The French Defense Ministry official the four arrived Sunday at the Villacoublay military base outside Paris.

They were met there by Defense Minister Herve Morin. The base was closed to the media, and the official was speaking on condition of anonymity, in accordance with ministry policy.

The four former hostages were freed Friday in an operation by French navy commandos, who stormed the sailboat on which they were held. Two of the pirates and the owner of the vessel were killed in the operation.

The pirates had captured the sailboat, known as the Tanit, on April 4.
MyWay