RENNES, France, April 17 (UPI) -- Three alleged Somali pirates captured when a yacht was retaken were charged Friday in France with hijacking and false imprisonment.
The three were being held in Rennes in Brittany, the BBC reported.
The Tanit, a yacht with two French couples and a child on board, was hijacked in the Indian Ocean off Somalia this month. French sailors stormed the yacht April 10.
Florent Lemacon, 28, the captain of the 41-foot yacht, was shot in the head and killed and two pirates also died. Investigators say they are unsure whether Lemacon was shot by the pirates or the French since no bullet fragments were recovered.
The three alleged pirates face life sentences if they are found guilty.
France is holding 12 other accused pirates for trial. The French Navy arrested 11 more suspects Wednesday who are to be tried in Kenya.
