Kenyan authorities are in pursuit of suspected pirates blamed for kidnapping a wheelchair-bound French woman from her beach house.

Kenyan Tourism Minister Najib Balala said the pirates' ship has been surrounded by two Kenyan ships and that Kenya is also following the pirates from the air. Earlier, officials said shots had been fired during the chase, though there were no reports of injuries.

Kenyan officials say the suspected pirates raided the woman's home on Manda Island, near the resort town of Lamu, early Saturday using the cover of darkness. They then carried her back to their boat and fled toward Somalia.

Kenyan officials say they believe the woman is in her 60s.

Saturday's abduction of the French woman near Lamu is the second of a foreigner within a month. In early September, pirates shot and killed a British man while kidnapping his wife.

Pirates have brought in millions of dollars in ransom for several years by attacking large ships, but in recent years, they have also attacked smaller targets such as private yachts. The attacks continue, even as U.S. and European navy patrols increase.