Somali pirate threat forces cruise ship evacuation

German cruise operator Hapag-Lloyd says hundreds of passengers on a round-the-world cruise will disembark before reaching waters off Somalia and fly to Dubai to avoid pirates. The company says the 150-meter (490-foot) MS Columbus and its crew will continue on through the Gulf of Aden. Passengers will rejoin the vessel in Oman for the remainder of a trip that began last month in Genoa, Italy. A company spokesman said passengers would be transferred to planes, but would not comment further.