Somali pirates release 26 Asian sailors after 4 years

The captives were crew on the FV Naham 3 that was hijacked in March 2012 and were freed for a ransom of $1.5 million.

MOGADISHU// Twenty-six Asian sailors kidnapped by Somali pirates and held hostage got more than four years have been released after payment of a ransom.

The sailors from Vietnam, Taiwan, Cambodia, Indonesia, China and the Philippines – all crew on a Taiwanese fishing vessel, the FV Naham 3 – were among the few hostages still in the hands of Somali pirates. Their ship was seized in March 2012 and later sank.

Somali pirate Bile Hussein, said US$1.5 million (Dh5.5m) in ransom was paid for their release. That claim could not be independently verified.

The 26 sailors will soon be repatriated by the United Nations, said John Steed, the coordinator of the Hostage Support Partners for the US-based organisation Oceans Beyond Piracy.

“They are reported to be in reasonable condition, considering their ordeal,” he said. “They are all malnourished. Four are currently receiving medical treatment by a doctor in Galkayo. They have spent over four and a half years in deplorable conditions away from their families.”

The hostages spent 1,672 days in captivity. Only one other group has been held for longer. One other crew member died in the hijacking and two died of illnesses in captivity.

Piracy off Somalia’s coast was once a serious threat to the global shipping industry, but attacks have dropped dramatically in recent years after ships began carrying armed guards and European Union naval forces increased patrols.

No commercial vessel has been successfully attacked since 2012, but the threat of piracy remains, Mr Steed said.

* Associated Press