An EU patrol ship has rescued a French hostage from suspected Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden.

The EU naval force says a Spanish warship intercepted a pirate ship Saturday that was believed to have been involved in the hijacking of a French yacht.

They say they found one French hostage on board, but say the remaining crew from the yacht is still missing.

Another EU warship found the French yacht unoccupied off the coast of Yemen on Thursday after it issued a distress call.

Somali pirates continue to target vessels sailing in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden, despite the presence of international naval patrols.

The pirates have netted hundreds of millions of dollars hijacking ships for ransom over the past few years.