PARIS  - Somali pirates have seized a yacht with two French nationals aboard off the coast of East Africa, the French foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

"The ministry confirms that a yacht with two French on board has been the target of an act of maritime piracy in the Gulf of Aden," it said in a statement.

"The small yacht was hit by pirates yesterday evening... two French citizens were the only passengers," spokesman Eric Chevallier told reporters at the French foreign ministry crisis centre.

Chevallier said a recent resolution at the United Nations Security Council gave France the right to chase pirates into Somalia's territorial waters, but did not say if that option would be exercised.

"It's possible to pursue them, but we have to think about what is the best way to save the hostages' lives," he said, adding that France was employing all relevant government services to examine the case.

Earlier this year a yacht with 30 crew aboard was seized and held for a week. Six pirates were captured by French commandos after the hostages were released.

Somali gunmen have seized at least 30 vessels so far this year, making the waters off the Horn of Africa country the most dangerous in the world.

Pirates are currently demanding a ransom of $8.2 million to free two Malaysian tankers and a Japanese-managed bulk carrier that they hijacked in the Gulf of Aden.