France captures six pirates

French troops have captured six pirates after a tense stand off on Somalia's coast. The pirates had just released 30 hostages they had been holding aboard a French tourist yacht.

The office of the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, says the pirates are now being held on a French Navy vessel.

France sent an elite commando force to the East African region after pirates seized the boat, Le Ponant, in the Gulf of Aden on April 4.

It was carrying no passengers, but on board were 30 crew members, 22 of them French.

Helicopter-borne French troops swooped in on the Somali pirates on Friday, after they freed the 30 hostages from the yacht. Six of the hijackers were seized and the troops also recovered sacks of money - apparently ransom paid by the ship's owners.

Earlier on Friday, Sarkozy met relatives of the hostages at Paris' Elysee Palace.

One relative, Brian Maisonneuve, confirmed that all was well with the crew.

Brian Maisonneuve, brother of hostage Steve Maisonneuve said "Today all the families can really rest, mentally and physically. A big thanks to CMA-CGM and the Ponant islands and the President who knew how to keep us confident."

General Jean-Louis Georgelin, the chief of staff of France's armed forces, said the pirates released the hostages after negotiations with the ship's owner.

The hostages were brought to safety and the pirates went ashore.

The general said once the pirates were on Somali territory, a French attack helicopter chased a vehicle carrying some of them, firing on it to destroy its engine.