What I hoped would happen apparently did happen. The owners of the yacht Ponant paid the ransom demanded (not much of an option I suppose). After the ransome was paid this happened:
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French commandos seized six pirates in Somalia on Friday during a daring helicopter raid launched shortly after the bandits had released the 30-strong crew of a luxury yacht hijacked last week."
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French officials said the owners of the yacht paid a ransom to obtain the freedom of the crew and as soon as it was clear that they were all safe, the commandos went into action aboard helicopters to track down the pirates."
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A district commissioner in Somalia told Reuters that five local people had died in the attack, but the French military denied killing anyone in their daylight raid."
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It was an intervention not a pulverization," General Jean-Louis Georgelin, head of the armed forces general staff told a news conference in Paris."
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A sniper in one helicopter shot out the car engine while another helicopter dropped off three French soldiers who captured the six pirates and hauled them off to French navy helicopter carrier waiting off the Somali coast."
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The French navy sent 2 boats to the area, with 4 or 5 helicopters on board and around 50 commandos. A French admiral was also parachuted into the sea and picked up by the task force to help lead the operation."
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French officials said the pirates would be tried in France. They said Paris would also seek much tougher United Nations action against maritime piracy."
French commandos swoop after pirates free hostages - Yahoo! News
I would have preferred the pulverization option. The ransom was apparently recovered. Surrender monkeys indeed. Can anyone confirm whether the guillotine been retired?