Pirates Loot Celebrity Yacht

JACK NICHOLSON, GIORGIO ARMANI and SEAN 'DIDDY' COMBS will have to find a new party boat - after a band of pirates stormed a hot-spot celebrity yacht on Monday (25Aug08).

According to reports published on Wednesday (27Aug08), a band of four masked men climbed aboard the luxury yacht - frequented by celebrities vacationing in the Mediterranean - while it was anchored off the French island of Corsica.

The robbers led their attack via speedboat, jumping aboard the $36.7 million (GBP19.8million) Tiara wielding handguns and rifles.

They ordered guests to empty their pockets before making off with $183,180 (GBP99,016) in cash and a collection of jewellery and artwork.

The captain of a ship in the French Riviera tells British newspaper The Sun: "Passengers who charter yachts are very wealthy, so pirates could steal several hundred thousand pounds... in a few minutes."

The yacht's owner, New York real-estate mogul Jonathan Leitersdorf, was not on board when the attack occurred.