PARIS, April 10 (UPI) -- A French hostage and two pirates died Friday in a rescue operation off the coast of Somalia, French officials said.
CNN reported that four other hostages, including a child, were freed from the hijacked yacht after almost a week of being held captive.
The yacht had been seized in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday.
CNN reported that the French military attempted a rescue operation after the pirates refused the French government's offers, including an offer to exchange an officer for the mother and child held aboard.
The news network reported that French media said a French special forces unit attacked the hijacked vessel as it was drifting toward the Somali coast. The pirates opened fire and the special forces team fired back at them.
Two of the five pirates were killed, along with Florent Lemacon, the owner of the yacht.
In a statement, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that France won't pay blackmail to pirates, Defense News reported.
The French announcement came amid reports that a U.S. merchant captain being held by pirates in a lifeboat made an unsuccessful attempt to escape. He was recaptured after jumping over the side.
