Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 10 Januari 2015 | 10.52
A gunman killed by police after a siege at a kosher supermarket in Paris claimed he "co-ordinated" with the Charlie Hebdo killers and was a member of the Islamic State group.
The claims, made during a call to France's BFMTV station, emerged after gunfire and explosions marked the violent conclusion to two hostage-takings 30 miles apart.
They came as more details of links between the three terrorists emerged and members of the public caught up in both sieges revealed how they survived their ordeal.
Just minutes separated the series of blasts at the Paris store and those that rocked a warehouse in Dammartin-en-Goele, where two brothers behind the attack on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo's offices were holed up.
Police stormed both buildings almost simultaneously, killing brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi but saving their hostage, while at least four hostages and the jihadist gunman died at the Paris grocery store.
Video:Terror Attack Suspects Killed
Amedy Coulibaly told BFMTV in the call from the supermarket that he had worked with the Kouachi brothers, who he described as his "officers".
"They (dealt with) Charlie Hebdo, I (dealt with) the police," he reportedly said.
Police became convinced the two attacks were linked after they established that Coulibaly's wife and fellow suspect Hayat Boumeddiene and the partner of one of the Kouachis had called each other more than 500 times last year.
They have subsequently established that Cherif Kouachi met Coulibaly in prison and the two men visited jihadist Djamel Beghal with their wives in 2010.
Coulibaly said he targeted the kosher supermarket because he wanted to defend Palestinians and target Jews.
Video:Special Report - Paris Attack
In the taped conversation, he also acknowledged he had killed the four of the hostages. Fifteen others were freed when police stormed the building.
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has claimed it directed the Kouachis in the attack on Charlie Hebdo "as revenge for the honour" of the Prophet Mohammad.
Witnesses said Said Kouachi, the elder of the brothers, claimed allegiance to al Qaeda during the attack and travelled to Yemen in 2011.
His brother told BFMTV in a separate recording: "I was sent, me, Cherif Kouachi, by Al Qaeda of Yemen. I went over there and it was Anwar al Awlaki who financed me."
However, Coulibaly claimed to be a member of Islamic State.
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Gallery: Faces Of Paris Suspects And Victims
French police have released mugshots of a man and a woman linked to the killing of a policewoman in Paris. They are also believed to be the hostage-takers involved in the siege at a Paris supermarket. Pictured is Hayat Boumeddiene, 26
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Video:Paris Supermarket Siege Over
At least four hostages and a jihadist gunman have been killed in a deadly Paris supermarket siege.
Commandos stormed the supermarket minutes after two brothers behind the slaughter at Charlie Hebdo magazine were killed at a second siege on the outskirts of Paris.
The special forces team raided the shop as the gunman began his evening prayer.
Six explosions were heard at the Jewish supermarket in Porte de Vincennes and several hostages were seen running, or being carried, from the store.
At least one of those being carried out was a small child. Fifteen hostages were freed alive.
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Gallery: Commandos Storm Supermarket
Commandos stormed the kosher supermarket where a gunman had taken at least six people hostage. Pic: @conflictnews
Explosions rang out at the scene
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Some people are seen leaving the shop, but reports said four hostages were killed
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The gunman is reported to be dead. Continue through for more images
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It was initially hoped that all hostages in the shop had been saved - but it is now clear that a number died.
Others have been critically wounded, including a police officer.
Reports in the French media suggested that at least some of the hostages were killed before the raid.
Reports that a gunman may have escaped from the siege were dismissed as "unlikely" by officials.
The hostage-taker at the Paris store was linked to the killer brothers who were holding another hostage at a commercial building at Dammartin-en-Goele, near to Charles de Gaulle airport.
The supermarket gunman - named as Amedy Coulibaly - had threatened to kill the hostages if police moved in on the brothers at Dammartin.
He told a French TV station that he was a member of the Islamic State group and was in cahoots with the Charlie Hebdo killers who were his "officers".
In a telling detail, revealed by BFMTV, the supermarket attacker did not hang up the phone properly after talking to its reporters, allowing the police to overhear him.
And it was as he knelt to do his evening prayer that they stormed the building.
Video:How The Paris Stand-Off Ended
Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said: "After news came through of the situation Dammartin there seemed to be a sense of urgency here.
"We heard four very quick explosions that lasted between them seven seconds I suspect."
There were another two explosions shortly afterwards.
Minutes later hostages were pictured being carried out, or running out, of the market - as sirens wailed across the city.
Sources reported that police managed to hack video surveillance at the market to keep a close eye on what was happening inside.
It is also understood that officers were secretly communicating by phone with one of the hostages.
It is understood that police may have managed to close down communication between the hostage-takers in the two sieges.
Click here for our live blog
In press conferences in Paris after the drama, France's president Francois Hollande and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve praised the bravery of police.
1/4
Gallery: Wanted: French Terror Suspects
Police release mugshots of the two suspects in the shooting a policewoman in Paris. They are also believed to be involved in the current hostage situation at a supermarket in the capital. Hayat Boumeddiene is pictured
Her accomplice is believed to be Amedy Coulibaly, pictured. The suspects are believed to have ties to Kouachi brothers
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Mr Hollande said France had demonstrated, and would continue to demonstrate, that it was not frightened of terrorism.
"Long live the Republic and long live France," he said.
A police officer told Sky News that the siege began when a gunman went in the supermarket and started shooting immediately.
According to the AP news agency, which quoted a police source, the gunman said "You know who I am" as he opened fire inside.
About 100 students were placed under lockdown in schools nearby and the Paris ring road was closed.
Coulibaly, 32, was involved in the killing of a policewoman in Montrouge, southern Paris, on Thursday.
French police released mugshots of him and a female accomplice - Hayat Boumeddiene, 26. The whereabouts of Boumeddiene was unclear.
:: Watch Sky News Special Report: Paris Attack at 8.30pm and tomorrow at 4.30pm and 8.30pm. See it on skynews.com, our mobile apps and on Sky News - channels Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.
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Hostages Killed In Paris Supermarket Siege
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Video:Paris Supermarket Siege Over
At least four hostages and a jihadist gunman have been killed in a deadly Paris supermarket siege.
Commandos stormed the supermarket minutes after two brothers behind the slaughter at Charlie Hebdo magazine were killed at a second siege on the outskirts of Paris.
The special forces team raided the shop as the gunman began his evening prayer.
Six explosions were heard at the Jewish supermarket in Porte de Vincennes and several hostages were seen running, or being carried, from the store.
At least one of those being carried out was a small child. Fifteen hostages were freed alive.
1/8
Gallery: Commandos Storm Supermarket
Commandos stormed the kosher supermarket where a gunman had taken at least six people hostage. Pic: @conflictnews
Explosions rang out at the scene
]]>
Some people are seen leaving the shop, but reports said four hostages were killed
]]>
The gunman is reported to be dead. Continue through for more images
]]>
]]>
It was initially hoped that all hostages in the shop had been saved - but it is now clear that a number died.
Others have been critically wounded, including a police officer.
Reports in the French media suggested that at least some of the hostages were killed before the raid.
Reports that a gunman may have escaped from the siege were dismissed as "unlikely" by officials.
The hostage-taker at the Paris store was linked to the killer brothers who were holding another hostage at a commercial building at Dammartin-en-Goele, near to Charles de Gaulle airport.
The supermarket gunman - named as Amedy Coulibaly - had threatened to kill the hostages if police moved in on the brothers at Dammartin.
He told a French TV station that he was a member of the Islamic State group and was in cahoots with the Charlie Hebdo killers who were his "officers".
In a telling detail, revealed by BFMTV, the supermarket attacker did not hang up the phone properly after talking to its reporters, allowing the police to overhear him.
And it was as he knelt to do his evening prayer that they stormed the building.
Video:How The Paris Stand-Off Ended
Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said: "After news came through of the situation Dammartin there seemed to be a sense of urgency here.
"We heard four very quick explosions that lasted between them seven seconds I suspect."
There were another two explosions shortly afterwards.
Minutes later hostages were pictured being carried out, or running out, of the market - as sirens wailed across the city.
Sources reported that police managed to hack video surveillance at the market to keep a close eye on what was happening inside.
It is also understood that officers were secretly communicating by phone with one of the hostages.
It is understood that police may have managed to close down communication between the hostage-takers in the two sieges.
Click here for our live blog
In press conferences in Paris after the drama, France's president Francois Hollande and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve praised the bravery of police.
1/4
Gallery: Wanted: French Terror Suspects
Police release mugshots of the two suspects in the shooting a policewoman in Paris. They are also believed to be involved in the current hostage situation at a supermarket in the capital. Hayat Boumeddiene is pictured
Her accomplice is believed to be Amedy Coulibaly, pictured. The suspects are believed to have ties to Kouachi brothers
]]>
Mr Hollande said France had demonstrated, and would continue to demonstrate, that it was not frightened of terrorism.
"Long live the Republic and long live France," he said.
A police officer told Sky News that the siege began when a gunman went in the supermarket and started shooting immediately.
According to the AP news agency, which quoted a police source, the gunman said "You know who I am" as he opened fire inside.
About 100 students were placed under lockdown in schools nearby and the Paris ring road was closed.
Coulibaly, 32, was involved in the killing of a policewoman in Montrouge, southern Paris, on Thursday.
French police released mugshots of him and a female accomplice - Hayat Boumeddiene, 26. The whereabouts of Boumeddiene was unclear.
:: Watch Sky News Special Report: Paris Attack at 8.30pm and tomorrow at 4.30pm and 8.30pm. See it on skynews.com, our mobile apps and on Sky News - channels Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.
Recommended by Outbrain Recommended by Outbrain
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Breaking News: Paris Terrorists 'Co-ordinated' Attacks
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 09 Januari 2015 | 10.52
Terror Police Search Forest In Hunt For Gunmen
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Video:Armed Police Swarm Countryside
Anti-terror police are searching dense woodland northeast of Paris after two gunmen suspected of killing 12 people in the Charlie Hebdo magazine attack were sighted.
Two men reportedly fitting the descriptions of brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi stole fuel and food from a petrol station near Villers-Cotterets, in the northern Aisne region, 43 miles (70km) from Paris, on Thursday morning.
Heavily-armed police have finished searching the village of Crepy-en-Valois, 10 miles (16km) from the petrol station.
The brothers were spotted in Villers-Cotterets
They are now focusing on a stretch of countryside spanning from Soissons, through Abbaye de Longpont, right up to Villers-Cotteret.
Sky's Joey Jones, at the scene, said officers were going house-to-house "scrutinising each resident".
Video:Sequence Of Events In Paris Attack
Witness Benoit Verdun told Sky News he believes the suspects are in a very large forest near Longpont, which he said is "bigger than Paris" - measuring some 13,000 hectares, or 50 square miles.
Crepy-en-Valois' mayor Bruno Fortier said he could not confirm reports the men were holed up in a house in the area.
"It's an incessant waltz of police cars and trucks," he told Reuters.
Jones said the picture is one of "utter confusion" and there are many rumours flying around.
Earlier the men, wearing balaclavas, were spotted travelling on the N2 road in the direction of Paris in a Renault Clio which had weapons on its back seat and its number plates covered.
1/4
Gallery: First Picture Inside Charlie Hebdo Office
WARNING: GALLERY CONTAINS A GRAPHIC IMAGE FROM INSIDE CHARLIE HEBDO OFFICE. Charlie Hebdo magazine's headquarters in central Paris before the attack
The blood spattered scene inside the office showing the aftermath of the attack, with papers strewn across the rooms.
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A file photo of French cartoonist Charb, publishing director of the magazine, posing for photographs inside the office.
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French police stand guard outside the premises following the attack on Wednesday
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AFP said the pair had Kalashnikovs and what appeared to be a rocket-launcher.
RAID, the French anti-terrorist unit, and GIGN, a paramilitary special operations unit, have been deployed in the region.
But Jones said it would appear the suspects are "a step or two ahead" of authorities at the moment.
Officials said the French nationals, both in their 30s and the sons of Algerian-born parents, are linked to a Yemeni terror network.
The pair are on a US no-fly list, but American officials would not give further details, including whether they fought in the Middle East with extremist groups.
Video:Paris Editor's Partner Speaks Out
Islamic State radio praised the killers as "heroes" and said they had avenged the Prophet Mohammed.
On Wednesday night, police raided an apartment in the city of Reims in the search for the killers. Seven people were arrested.
Another suspect handed himself in to police after he was named on social media as 18-year-old Hamyd Mourad.
Sky sources say the teenager, who has been arrested, is the brother-in-law of the suspects.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said a total of nine people are now in custody and more than 90 witnesses have been interviewed.
1/7
Gallery: Magazine Victims Identified
Muslim police officer Ahmed Merabet was killed outside Charlie Hebdo's offices. Video of the attack showed him lying on the ground and begging for mercy as he was shot in the head.
Bernard Maris was a journalist and shareholder in Charlie Hebdo
]]>
Tensions remain high in the country after a female police officer was shot dead in southern Paris on Thursday morning.
A "criminal" blast was also reported at a kebab shop near a mosque in the eastern French town of Villefranche-sur-Saone. No one was injured.
Officials have not said if either incident is linked to the Paris terror attack.
French investigators found a dozen Molotov cocktails and two jihadist flags in the black Citroen getaway car abandoned shortly after Wednesday's massacre.
Tributes to the victims have been left near Charlie Hebdo's offices and a minute's silence was held in the French capital.
1/6
Gallery: French Villages Filled With Terror Police
Police have swarmed the small village of Crepy-en-Valois
Two men matching the descriptions of brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi were reportedly spotted by a petrol station manager
]]>
Meanwhile, one of the first people to arrive at the bloodbath gave an emotional account of what happened.
Patrick Pelloux, a columnist who is also trained as a doctor, said: "It was horrible. Many were already gone because they were shot down execution-style.
"We managed to save the others who this morning are doing well."
Next week's issue will be published despite the murders, he said, meaning his colleagues "have not died in vain".
Staff hope to print one million copies - instead of its usual run of 60,000.
1/3
Gallery: Paris Attack Suspects' ID Cards
Cherif Kouachi and his brother Said are suspected of carrying out the attack at Charlie Hebdo's offices in Paris. This is Cherif's ID card
]]>
Downing Street said security has been increased at UK ports following the terror attack.
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Terror Police Search Forest In Hunt For Gunmen
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Armed Police Swarm Countryside
Anti-terror police are searching dense woodland northeast of Paris after two gunmen suspected of killing 12 people in the Charlie Hebdo magazine attack were sighted.
Two men reportedly fitting the descriptions of brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi stole fuel and food from a petrol station near Villers-Cotterets, in the northern Aisne region, 43 miles (70km) from Paris, on Thursday morning.
Heavily-armed police have finished searching the village of Crepy-en-Valois, 10 miles (16km) from the petrol station.
The brothers were spotted in Villers-Cotterets
They are now focusing on a stretch of countryside spanning from Soissons, through Abbaye de Longpont, right up to Villers-Cotteret.
Sky's Joey Jones, at the scene, said officers were going house-to-house "scrutinising each resident".
Video:Sequence Of Events In Paris Attack
Witness Benoit Verdun told Sky News he believes the suspects are in a very large forest near Longpont, which he said is "bigger than Paris" - measuring some 13,000 hectares, or 50 square miles.
Crepy-en-Valois' mayor Bruno Fortier said he could not confirm reports the men were holed up in a house in the area.
"It's an incessant waltz of police cars and trucks," he told Reuters.
Jones said the picture is one of "utter confusion" and there are many rumours flying around.
Earlier the men, wearing balaclavas, were spotted travelling on the N2 road in the direction of Paris in a Renault Clio which had weapons on its back seat and its number plates covered.
1/4
Gallery: First Picture Inside Charlie Hebdo Office
WARNING: GALLERY CONTAINS A GRAPHIC IMAGE FROM INSIDE CHARLIE HEBDO OFFICE. Charlie Hebdo magazine's headquarters in central Paris before the attack
The blood spattered scene inside the office showing the aftermath of the attack, with papers strewn across the rooms.
]]>
A file photo of French cartoonist Charb, publishing director of the magazine, posing for photographs inside the office.
]]>
French police stand guard outside the premises following the attack on Wednesday
]]>
AFP said the pair had Kalashnikovs and what appeared to be a rocket-launcher.
RAID, the French anti-terrorist unit, and GIGN, a paramilitary special operations unit, have been deployed in the region.
But Jones said it would appear the suspects are "a step or two ahead" of authorities at the moment.
Officials said the French nationals, both in their 30s and the sons of Algerian-born parents, are linked to a Yemeni terror network.
The pair are on a US no-fly list, but American officials would not give further details, including whether they fought in the Middle East with extremist groups.
Video:Paris Editor's Partner Speaks Out
Islamic State radio praised the killers as "heroes" and said they had avenged the Prophet Mohammed.
On Wednesday night, police raided an apartment in the city of Reims in the search for the killers. Seven people were arrested.
Another suspect handed himself in to police after he was named on social media as 18-year-old Hamyd Mourad.
Sky sources say the teenager, who has been arrested, is the brother-in-law of the suspects.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said a total of nine people are now in custody and more than 90 witnesses have been interviewed.
1/7
Gallery: Magazine Victims Identified
Muslim police officer Ahmed Merabet was killed outside Charlie Hebdo's offices. Video of the attack showed him lying on the ground and begging for mercy as he was shot in the head.
Bernard Maris was a journalist and shareholder in Charlie Hebdo
]]>
Tensions remain high in the country after a female police officer was shot dead in southern Paris on Thursday morning.
A "criminal" blast was also reported at a kebab shop near a mosque in the eastern French town of Villefranche-sur-Saone. No one was injured.
Officials have not said if either incident is linked to the Paris terror attack.
French investigators found a dozen Molotov cocktails and two jihadist flags in the black Citroen getaway car abandoned shortly after Wednesday's massacre.
Tributes to the victims have been left near Charlie Hebdo's offices and a minute's silence was held in the French capital.
1/6
Gallery: French Villages Filled With Terror Police
Police have swarmed the small village of Crepy-en-Valois
Two men matching the descriptions of brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi were reportedly spotted by a petrol station manager
]]>
Meanwhile, one of the first people to arrive at the bloodbath gave an emotional account of what happened.
Patrick Pelloux, a columnist who is also trained as a doctor, said: "It was horrible. Many were already gone because they were shot down execution-style.
"We managed to save the others who this morning are doing well."
Next week's issue will be published despite the murders, he said, meaning his colleagues "have not died in vain".
Staff hope to print one million copies - instead of its usual run of 60,000.
1/3
Gallery: Paris Attack Suspects' ID Cards
Cherif Kouachi and his brother Said are suspected of carrying out the attack at Charlie Hebdo's offices in Paris. This is Cherif's ID card
]]>
Downing Street said security has been increased at UK ports following the terror attack.
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Written By Unknown on Kamis, 08 Januari 2015 | 10.52
Footage of France's deadliest terror attack for 40 years shows one of the gunmen shoot a policeman in the head at point-blank range.
Three black-clad, heavily-armed men are seen walking from their vehicle near Place de la Bastille in Paris, before a number of shots are fired.
The camera pans to the right to show a police officer lying on the pavement before rolling over to face his approaching attackers.
He is seen raising his hand, apparently pleading for his life.
According to Le Parisien, the officer was heard in one video clip to say: "Voulez-vous me tuer? (Do you want to kill me?)".
The gunman responded: "C'est bon chef."
Video:Paris: Gunfire In The Streets
One of the two men quickens pace as he reaches the injured officer and, without pausing, shoots him in the head.
In another video shot following the attack on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo's offices, gunshots ring out and onlookers run for cover on a rooftop just yards from the scene.
The pair of suspected terrorists are seen below opening fire.
As some on the rooftop run for cover, panicked voices are heard urging others to "get down".
"Did you see that?" a voice can be heard asking the person filming the scene.
More shots are fired before a witness on the rooftop tells another to "budge up".
Video:Paris Shooting: Wounded Helped
The gunshots stop and the men are seen calmly returning to their black Citroen hatchback.
One of them picks up a shoe that had fallen out of the car and they drive off slowly.
Witness Benoit Bringer told French TV channel iTELE: "About a half an hour ago two black-hooded men entered the building with Kalashnikovs (rifles).
"A few minutes later we heard lots of shots."
One witness, who declined to give his name, described the attack as like "a movie".
"I saw them leaving and shooting. They were wearing masks. These guys were serious," he said.
1/28
Gallery: Gunmen Attack Paris Magazine Office
Armed gunmen face police officers near the offices of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris
An attack on the offices of the newspaper left twelve dead, including two police officers, according to sources close to the investigation
The youngest of three suspects in the Paris terror attack on a French satirical magazine has surrendered to police, according to reports.
French media claim Hamyd Mourad, 18, handed himself in to officers.
Meanwhile images have been released of brothers Said Kouachi and Cherif Kouachi, both in their 30s, who are suspected of being part of the attack that left 12 people dead.
Officials have said the suspects are linked to a Yemeni terror network.
Armed police officers at the scene of the raid in Reims
On Wednesday night heavily armoured French police raided an apartment in the city of Reims, east of Paris, as they continued a massive manhunt to find the killers.
Thousands of officers have reportedly been deployed in the hunt for the men behind the attack on the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Video:Paris: Gunfire In The Streets
It has previously been targeted over its portrayal of the Prophet Mohammed.
In Wednesday's attack, three masked gunmen stormed the offices and called out their victims by name before opening fire during a morning editorial meeting.
They were armed with Kalashnikov rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade.
Video:Twelve Dead In Paris Attack
They were let inside the Charlie Hebdo building by a female employee who was threatened at gunpoint along with her daughter and forced to punch in a security code to allow them inside.
The editor and a cartoonist for the newspaper, who went by the pen names Charb and Cabu, were among those killed.
Radio France chief executive Mathieu Gilet announced revealed that contributor Bernard Maris was also killed.
Video:What Do Gunmen Videos Tell Us?
Two police officers were among the dead, including one assigned as Charb's bodyguard after he had received death threats and another who was shot in the head as he lay wounded on the ground outside the offices.
French President Francois Hollande has declared today a national day of mourning.
In a televised address on Wednesday he said: "We have to respond according to the crime, first of all by finding the authors of this infamy and we have to ensure that they are arrested, judged... and punished very severely.
Video:Controversy Over Prophet's Image
Tens of thousands of people have staged silent protests in France and across the world in solidarity for the victims of the attack.
Social media users have used the hashtag #jesuischarlie to show solidarity for the victims of the shooting, with the Charlie Hebdo website also using the image as its masthead.
1/5
Gallery: Magazine Cartoonists Identified
Bernard Maris was a journalist and shareholder in Charlie Hebdo
Bernard Velhav was a contributer to the magazine. Pic: Georges Seguin
Written By Unknown on Minggu, 04 Januari 2015 | 10.52
Stranded Migrants Leave Ship At Italian Port
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Video:Italian Airforce Rescues Migrants
Hundreds of migrants stranded on a cargo ship which was abandoned by its crew have safely disembarked at an Italian port.
The Sierra Leone-flagged ship, the Ezadeen, reached the port of Corigliano Calabro after a delicate operation by the Italian navy to take control of the ageing vessel.
It was initially believed to be carrying as many as 450 people but after docking the Italian authorities revised the count to 232 men, 54 women and 74 children.
The migrants, most of who are believed to be fleeing the war in Syria, were provided with food and water and given medical help. All were said to be in good health.
The ship, which usually carries cattle, was abandoned by people traffickers as it headed towards the southern tip of Italy.
1/12
Gallery: Stranded Migrants Leave 'Ghost Ship' In Italy
Migrants smile after disembarking from the ship
The Ezadeen cargo ship was stopped by Italian authorities after smugglers sent it speeding toward the coast in rough seas with nobody at the helm
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The Sierra Leone-flagged vessel was towed to the Italian port of Corigliano after coastguard officials were lowered onto the ship by helicopter to secure it.
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Around 450 migrants were on board the ship, which apparently set sail from Turkey
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The 197ft-long ship was rescued floating around 40 miles off Capo di Leuca
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In a dramatic rescue mission, six coastguard officers were lowered from a helicopter onto the deck of the ship to set up a tow for the 40 kilometres (25 miles) to the Italian coast.
Rescue pilot Francesco Pastore told Sky News: "The mission was very difficult due to the conditions."
It is the second ship of its kind to be abandoned at sea in several days.
Video:Rescue Pilot At The Scene
Coastguard Commander Filippo Marini said one of the migrants on board was able to operate the ship's radio and pleaded for help saying: "We're without crew, we're heading toward the Italian coast and we have no one to steer."
Before losing power, the ship had been moving at a brisk seven knots and had been spotted by a coastguard plane 80 miles offshore shortly after nightfall on Thursday.
The coastguard asked for assistance from Icelandic patrol boat Tyr, which was in the area on a mission with Frontex, the European Union's border agency.
Video:Migrant Ship Abandoned At Sea
The Tyr was able to draw alongside the runaway ship, but initially the weather conditions made boarding impossible.
The drama came two days after Italian sailors intercepted an unmanned freighter carrying more than 700 mostly Syrian migrants that had been heading for the rocks in Italy's Puglia region.
The Moldovan-registered Blue Sky M cargo ship got to within five miles of a disaster before six navy officers were lowered on to the ship by helicopter and succeeded in bringing it under control.
Video:December - Migrants In Danger
The vessel's human cargo included 60 children and two pregnant women, one of whom gave birth on board, according to the Italian Red Cross.
Many of the migrants on the ship were treated for hypothermia and broken limbs.
More than 170,000 people have been rescued by Italy in the last 14 months and it is estimated that hundreds, possibly thousands, have perished trying to make the crossing.
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Stranded Migrants Leave Ship At Italian Port
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Italian Airforce Rescues Migrants
Hundreds of migrants stranded on a cargo ship which was abandoned by its crew have safely disembarked at an Italian port.
The Sierra Leone-flagged ship, the Ezadeen, reached the port of Corigliano Calabro after a delicate operation by the Italian navy to take control of the ageing vessel.
It was initially believed to be carrying as many as 450 people but after docking the Italian authorities revised the count to 232 men, 54 women and 74 children.
The migrants, most of who are believed to be fleeing the war in Syria, were provided with food and water and given medical help. All were said to be in good health.
The ship, which usually carries cattle, was abandoned by people traffickers as it headed towards the southern tip of Italy.
1/12
Gallery: Stranded Migrants Leave 'Ghost Ship' In Italy
Migrants smile after disembarking from the ship
The Ezadeen cargo ship was stopped by Italian authorities after smugglers sent it speeding toward the coast in rough seas with nobody at the helm
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The Sierra Leone-flagged vessel was towed to the Italian port of Corigliano after coastguard officials were lowered onto the ship by helicopter to secure it.
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Around 450 migrants were on board the ship, which apparently set sail from Turkey
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The 197ft-long ship was rescued floating around 40 miles off Capo di Leuca
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In a dramatic rescue mission, six coastguard officers were lowered from a helicopter onto the deck of the ship to set up a tow for the 40 kilometres (25 miles) to the Italian coast.
Rescue pilot Francesco Pastore told Sky News: "The mission was very difficult due to the conditions."
It is the second ship of its kind to be abandoned at sea in several days.
Video:Rescue Pilot At The Scene
Coastguard Commander Filippo Marini said one of the migrants on board was able to operate the ship's radio and pleaded for help saying: "We're without crew, we're heading toward the Italian coast and we have no one to steer."
Before losing power, the ship had been moving at a brisk seven knots and had been spotted by a coastguard plane 80 miles offshore shortly after nightfall on Thursday.
The coastguard asked for assistance from Icelandic patrol boat Tyr, which was in the area on a mission with Frontex, the European Union's border agency.
Video:Migrant Ship Abandoned At Sea
The Tyr was able to draw alongside the runaway ship, but initially the weather conditions made boarding impossible.
The drama came two days after Italian sailors intercepted an unmanned freighter carrying more than 700 mostly Syrian migrants that had been heading for the rocks in Italy's Puglia region.
The Moldovan-registered Blue Sky M cargo ship got to within five miles of a disaster before six navy officers were lowered on to the ship by helicopter and succeeded in bringing it under control.
Video:December - Migrants In Danger
The vessel's human cargo included 60 children and two pregnant women, one of whom gave birth on board, according to the Italian Red Cross.
Many of the migrants on the ship were treated for hypothermia and broken limbs.
More than 170,000 people have been rescued by Italy in the last 14 months and it is estimated that hundreds, possibly thousands, have perished trying to make the crossing.
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AirAsia could be banned from offering flights in Indonesia, after it emerged that Flight QZ8501 was not authorised to fly on the day it plunged into the Java Sea.
The company also faces allegations that the pilot did not ask for a weather report from meteorologists before take-off, amid concerns that the Airbus A320 was downed in stormy conditions.
Indonesia's transport ministry has suspended all AirAsia flights between Surabaya and Singapore - the route where the plane went missing in the early hours of 28 December.
The budget airline's other schedules are also under investigation, as it was not permitted to make this journey on Sundays.
Caskets have been arriving in the small town of Pangkalan Bun
It comes as ships searching for the wreckage pinpointed "four big objects" on the seabed, with underwater remote operating vehicles attempting to capture images of the debris.
No survivors have been found from Flight QZ8501, which had 162 people on board, including one Briton. Crucial black boxes revealing what happened in the plane's final few minutes are yet to be found.
Video:Plane Victims' Bodies Recovered
On Friday, 21 bodies were recovered from the Java Sea - including two passengers who were still strapped in their seats – taking the number of confirmed victims to 30.
Efforts to recover passengers have been hampered by strong winds and high waves, scattering debris further afield. An emergency slide and exit door were initially discovered, along with cameras and children's food.
"Many of the passengers are believed to be still trapped inside the plane's fuselage and could be discovered soon," one search official said. "God willing, we will complete this operation next week."
The pilot, who had 6,100 flying hours on the A320, had asked to ascend to 38,000ft (11,600m) before contact was lost with air traffic control.
Video:Bodies Returned After Plane Crash
Radar data appears to show that the plane made an "unbelievably" steep climb before it crashed, possibly beyond the capabilities of the aircraft.
On Friday, AirAsia's chief executive Tony Fernandes attended the funeral of one of the flight attendants who lost their lives on Flight QZ8501.
Hundreds of people attended the burial of Khairunisa Haidar Fauzi, which took place in her hometown of Palembang in south Sumatra.
