Somali pirates attack French military flagship by mistake [Ha-hah!]

AFP via Google News ^ | Oct. 07, 2009 | AFP

[wolf78]

PARIS — Somali pirates attempted to storm the flagship commanding French military forces in a night attack in the Indian Ocean after mistaking it for a cargo vessel, the military said here on Wednesday.

French sailors saw off the attack and captured five pirates in the incident while no-one was injured, military spokesman Admiral Christophe Prazuck said.

"The pirates, who because of the darkness took the French ship for a commercial vessel, were on board two vessels and opened fire with Kalashnikovs," he said.

The pirates had tried to storm the 160-metre (525-foot) 18,000-tonne La Somme, a fuel supply ship used as the command centre for all French forces -- ground, sea and air -- in the Indian Ocean region.

The pirates tried to escape when they realised their mistake but were pursued by La Somme, which after an hour-long chase managed to catch one of the skiffs, Prazuck said.

[wolf78]

Delightful irony.

Same @ BBC: Pirates hit navy ship 'in error'

[Larry Lucido]

Captured? Not killed?

[AU72]

If it was a US flagship they would have become an oil slick.

[GeronL]

A fuel supply ship is their flagship?

[choctaw man]

Hey, it’s the French...lol

[Hacklehead]

“French sailors saw off the attack and captured five pirates...”

Saw off?

[Red Badger]

A fuel supply ship is their flagship?

No smoking?................

[RowdyFFC]

LMAO! What an ‘oh dear’ moment...ROFL!!! Although much spicier language could be applied to the moment they discovered a warship!!!!! :)

[Red Badger]

Must be a British-ism...........

[GeronL]

I suppose it means in that region. A warship full of gas sounds like a bad idea to me.

[NappyOne]

Can anyone say Q-ship? What is old, should be new again. Pirates are not the sharpest pencil in the box.

The NappyOne

[6ppc]

Sometimes the jokes write themselves!

[YankeeReb]

In a way it proves that if merchant ships were armed this piracy nonsense would end.

[doodad]

Saw off?

They were making them walk le plank, Arrrrr.

[wolf78]

I suppose it means in that region. A warship full of gas sounds like a bad idea to me.

That's exactly it. The supply ship also served as a the command hub for the ships in the region, but is definitely not the flagship of the French navy.

At least that's what other sources say if you search google news or French newspapers.

[ErnBatavia]

If it was a US flagship they would have become an oil slick.

I'd bet not....we've got a new "sheriff" in town, remember?

[Robe]

La Somme

[shredderman]

like...”MERDE”, or “Sacre’Bleu!”

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

French sailors saw off the attack

That sounds really wily.
Wily coyote.

[TruthBeforeAll]

No injuries? How is this possible?