A French helicopter opened fire on a Yemeni yacht near Yemeni territorial waters last Friday, injuring the fisherman, Yemeni media said.

Media reported that a Yemeni traditional fishing boat called Al-Gamariain was pursued by a boat believed to be French near Yemeni territorial waters.

Shortly after, a French helicopter flew over the Yemeni boat and opened fire on it injuring Al-Kawsi one of the boat's crew members from Al-Mukala city.

Local sources told the Yemen Post that as soon as the crew of the Yemeni boat has access to the coast of Al-Mukala City, they informed the Fishermen Assembly which in its turn notified authorities in the city. 

The same sources pointed out that the French Forces that works with International Forces suspected the Yemeni boat to be Somali pirates' boat and then set fire on the crew of the boat.

Last week French frigate patrolling the waters as part of a European Union taskforce, handed over eight suspected pirates captured in the Gulf of Aden to the authorities of Somalia's breakaway state of Puntland, an official media said.

In related news, pirates let free a Saudi-owned oil supertanker after delaying its release despite receiving ransom.