Somali pirates board French yacht

MOGADISHU, Somalia, April 5 (UPI) -- Pirates boarded a French yacht off the coast of Somalia and took 30 crew members hostage, authorities said Saturday.

A French military spokesman said the boat was sailing between Somalia and Yemen and had no passengers on board, EuroNews.net reported.

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said the defense and foreign ministries in Paris were working to secure the hostages' release.

Despite U.S. Navy patrols along the Somali coast, the waters there are among the most dangerous in the world. Last year, Somali pirates seized more than two dozen ships.

Merchant ships are told to stay at least 200 nautical miles from the Somali coast because of the risk of piracy.