French naval ship repels attack by Somali pirates

PARIS (Reuters) – A French naval vessel repelled a night assault by Somali pirates and captured five of the attackers after a chase on the high seas, the French military said on Wednesday.
“They apparently thought it was a harmless cargo ship,” military spokesman Christophe Prazuck said.
He said pirates on board two speedboats tried to board the Somme, a French navy command and supply ship, some 250 miles off the Somali coast.
The Somme repelled the attack and immediately gave chase to the boats, seizing one and capturing five pirates, Prazuck said. No one was injured in the chase.
(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; editing by Ralph Boulton)