Spain’s Defence Minister has announced the Spanish crew of a naval assault ship that rescued a French woman from Somali pirates will be given medals. The crew of the ship ‘Galicia’ rescued 55-year-old Evelyne Colombo from the clutches of the pirates after she’d been taken from the catamaran she and her husband had been sailing on. Colombo had been held captive for two days, and her husband murdered, when the Spaniard navy craft came upon hte pirate vessel and rescued her.
The rescue apparently took place after a gun battle between the pirates and the crew of the Galicia. The pirate ship eventually sunk and Colombo and several pirates were rescued from the water. The Somali pirates were put under arrest and are currently awaiting trial and sentence.
Attacks by Somali pirates are rife in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, and are getting worse every year, although most attacks don’t result in kidnappings. But 271 people are currently estimated to be being held captive by pirates until their demands are met.
Current estimates show pirate attacks and delay of cargo are costing world businesses close to $10 billion every year.