WRAPUP 8-Pirates defy U.S. navy off Somalia, French free yacht

(For full coverage of the pirate crisis, clink on [nPIRATES])

* Pirates take German ship to help comrades off Somalia

* Standoff with U.S. navy heightens on high seas

* U.S. hostage recaptured by pirates after escape attempt

* France frees yacht; one hostage killed, four rescued

(Adds details, analyst comment)

By Abdi Guled

MOGADISHU, April 10 (Reuters) - Pirates on Friday sailed a hijacked German freighter and its crew toward a lifeboat off Somalia where an American hostage was being held in an attempt to help their comrades in a standoff with the U.S. Navy.

In a day of drama on the high seas off East Africa, French special forces stormed and freed a yacht held by pirates in a military assault in which one hostage was killed and four others were freed.