French soldiers stormed a car ferry in the Mediterranean Sea today to recapture it from about 50 striking workers who had seized the vessel in protest at plans to privatise their ferry company.
Five army helicopters circled over the large Pascal-Paoli ferry off the Mediterranean island of Corsica after dawn.
About ten soldiers descended down ropes that were dropped from the helicopters and swiftly took control.
The protesters had commandeered the ferry from the southern French port city of Marseille yesterday afternoon and set sail for Corsica.
They were protesting against the planned privatisation of state-owned ferry company SNCM, which is struggling to survive against competition from a private ferry firm.
Media said the workers who seized the ferry could face up to 20 years in prison, saying the law treats seizing the ferry in a manner similar to the hijacking of a plane.
Police said they had detained the protesters for questioning. Accompanied by three national marine boats, the ferry quickly set sail for France's southern coast.
The government said it had picked an offer by French company Butler Capital Partners to invest in the loss-making ferry firm, which runs services to Corsica, Sardinia, Algeria and Tunisia.
Financial difficulties coupled with government plans to seek an injection of private capital into the 155-year-old company have led to a series of strikes since last year, bringing ferry traffic to a halt between mainland France and Corsica.
Three people were injured during scuffles between protesters and police at the Corsican port city of Bastia during the night.
Workers are angry over sell-off plans that could lead to the loss of 400 jobs, and have blocked southern French oil ports.