Somali pirates have kidnapped a French woman from an exclusive resort island in northern Kenya, near the Somali border, according to an official.
It is the second such attack near the popular tourist town of Lamu in a month. In early September, pirates shot dead British man David Tebbutt and kidnapped his wife, Judith, from a resort near Lamu.
The Western official said the French woman, identified as Marie Dedieu, was kidnapped off Manda Island early on Saturday, just across the channel from Lamu.
Lamu resident Muhidin Athman says people near the scene of the kidnapping heard gunshots at around 3am. He said the French woman owns a house on the island and lives there half the year.
Ms Dedieu is elderly and often uses a wheelchair, according to a resident.
The Kenyan navy and police are chasing the suspected boat at sea, said Ambrose Munyasia, a top police official on the coast.
Two Kenyan boats have the suspected pirate boat surrounded, with four men and Ms Dedieu on board, said tourism minister Najib Balala. A plane overhead is also monitoring the situation, he said. "We are just concerned about the safety of the lady," Mr Balala said.
Mr Munyasia said that he had information that the French government is set to join the chase. He said he is optimistic the woman would be rescued soon.
The French foreign ministry said in a statement that Ms Dedieu is in her 60s and was taken by several men who are "most likely from Somalia".
The ministry said it is "working with the Kenyan authorities, who have mobilised significant air and sea resources in order to free our compatriot".
Somali pirates have kidnapped a French woman from an exclusive resort island in northern Kenya, near the Somali border, according to an official.
It is the second such attack near the popular tourist town of Lamu in a month. In early September, pirates shot dead British man David Tebbutt and kidnapped his wife, Judith, from a resort near Lamu.
The Western official said the French woman, identified as Marie Dedieu, was kidnapped off Manda Island early on Saturday, just across the channel from Lamu.
Lamu resident Muhidin Athman says people near the scene of the kidnapping heard gunshots at around 3am. He said the French woman owns a house on the island and lives there half the year.
Ms Dedieu is elderly and often uses a wheelchair, according to a resident.
The Kenyan navy and police are chasing the suspected boat at sea, said Ambrose Munyasia, a top police official on the coast.
Two Kenyan boats have the suspected pirate boat surrounded, with four men and Ms Dedieu on board, said tourism minister Najib Balala. A plane overhead is also monitoring the situation, he said. "We are just concerned about the safety of the lady," Mr Balala said.
Mr Munyasia said that he had information that the French government is set to join the chase. He said he is optimistic the woman would be rescued soon.
The French foreign ministry said in a statement that Ms Dedieu is in her 60s and was taken by several men who are "most likely from Somalia".
The ministry said it is "working with the Kenyan authorities, who have mobilised significant air and sea resources in order to free our compatriot".