The 1991 FRA (France) built Sail Passenger Ship LE PONANT was photographed from the air by MALTA SHIP PHOTOS while leaving Valletta after a scheduled port of call.
She was built in France by Francaise De Construction Navals at Villeneuve La Garenne and she’s homeported at Matautu.
On the 4th April 2008 while she was through the Gulf of Aden, sailing to the Mediterranean Sea from the Seychelles she had a pirate attack with no passengers on board but all 30 crew members were taken hostage ( 1 x Cameroonian; 6 x Filipinos; 22 x French and 1 Ukrainian). French Forces including the French Navy Corvette FS COMMANDANT BOUAN F 797 and the Canadian CH-1245 helicopter from HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN FFH 339were monitoring the ship after her seizure.
The hostages were released without injuries on April 12th
Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
