Bartamaha (Nairobi):- Somali pirates have released a chemical tanker and its 28 North Korean crew, maritime officials say.
The Singapore-operated MV Theresa VIII was seized in November in the south Somali Basin north of the Seychelles.
Andrew Mwangura, of the East African Seafarers Assistance Programme, said a ransom of about $3.5m (£2.3m) had been paid, Reuters news agency reported.
Pirates have made the sea lanes off the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden among the most dangerous in the world.
“It was freed today. The crew is safe. All the gunmen have disembarked,” said Mr Mwangura.
Cdr John Harbour, of the EU Naval Force which patrols the region, said the tanker had not asked for assistance after it was released but warships were monitoring the situation.
He confirmed a ransom had been paid.
The MV Theresa VIII had been heading for Mombasa, Kenya, when it was hijacked.
International naval patrols have failed to stop attacks on shipping, although the French navy said it captured 35 suspected pirates off Somalia’s coast earlier this month.
War-ravaged Somalia has had no functioning central government since 1991.
Lawlessness in Somalia allows pirates to function with relative impunity in their own country – and many pirate leaders have reportedly amassed fortunes through ransoms.

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Source:- BBC

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