Hostage freed after gun battle

A FRENCH woman rescued from pirates was freed after a Spanish navy patrol boat fought a fierce gun battle off the Somali coast, Spain’s defence ministry has said.

The gunboat spotted the pirates’ skiff on Saturday afternoon and, with the help of a naval warfare team and a helicopter, sank the vessel and rescued the hostage, the ministry said. Seven pirates who were on board are now under arrest.

The woman had been sailing with her husband, who the pirates killed and threw overboard.