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On April 4, CMA CGM, the French shipping company, stated in a statement that the luxury sailing cruise ship Le Ponant owned by its subsidiary, Campagnie Des Iles du Ponant, had been boarded by pirates off Northern coast of Somalia. The ship was on its way back from the Seychelles to the Mediterranean, without any passengers but, with 30 crew members on board, when it was attacked. The latest report suggests that the entire crew have been released without any incident. Expressing thanks to Mr Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, who was personally involved in the safe release of the crew, and other Ministers concerned and the French Armed Forces, for the safe release of the hostages, CMA CGM, in a press statement, has expressed the hope that in future Europe should be able to ensure security of ships in this zone. That’s fine but what is not clear is why these criminals are allowed to prey on something like 30 odd vessels every year when their identities and the locations of their bases are not unknown. Arresting the culprits and bringing them to trial should at least demonstrate that such outrages with impunity cannot be allowed to continue.

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Cruise ship crew rescued

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