Hijacked Saudi tanker freed after payment of ransom
The ship's crew, which includes two Britons, are unharmed.
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Saturday, 10, Jan 2009 11:25
Saudi supertanker the Sirius Star, which was hijacked by pirates in November, has been freed after the payment of a ransom.
The Sirius star was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden on November 15th. A total of 25 crew on board the tanker, which was carrying two million barrels of oil, had been held hostage by the pirates.
Yesterday, a plane was seen hovering over the tanker holding a package which a negotiator later said contained $3 million (£1.95 million).
A spokesman for the pirates, Mohamed Said, told the AFP news agency that six had drowned after they left the tanker on a small boat.
"The small boat that was carrying those killed and eight who survived was overloaded and at high speed as we are told by the survivors; they were afraid of a chase from outsiders (foreign navies of the Combined Maritime Forces) who invaded Somalia waters," he said.
In a statement, the ship's owners Vela International confirmed that the vessel had been freed.
Vela chief executive Salek Kaki said: "We are very relieved to know that all the crew members are safe and I am glad to say that they are all in good health and high spirits.
"This has been a very trying time for them and certainly for their families. We are very happy to report to their families that they will be on their way home soon," he added.