The French luxury sailing boat Le Ponant, which was hijacked by Somali pirates last April en route to Malta, is in the Grand Harbour.
The pirates had taken the 30-strong crew hostage but they were released a week later after the French government's intervention. Six of the 12 pirates were captured and flown to Paris to face trial. Le Ponant operates commercially and can carry up to 64 passengers in 32 cabins. It is 290 feet long and has three masts.