French journalists arrive home after Syria hostage ordeal Four French journalists taken hostage in Syria arrived in France early Sunday, a day after they were freed from 10 months in captivity in the world's most dangerous country for the media. A plane carrying Edouard Elias, Didier Francois, Nicolas Henin and Pierre Torres from Turkey touched down at a military base in northern France early Sunday, the president's office said. They were then taken by helicopter to the Villacoublay air base southwest of Paris, where they were met by President Francois Hollande and their families and colleagues, before undergoing medical checks.