- Pirates have released a German cargo ship and 15 of its crew members unharmed, which was seized 41 days ago after receiving a large ransom, a shipping company said today.
East Africa's Coordinator of Seafarers Association, Mr Andrew Mwangura mentioned that the pirates released the MV Lehmann Timber after receiving US$750,000 ransom, saying soon after release the vessel was sailing for a safe port a day after the hijacking ended.
The pirates are reported to have set 7 July as the ransom deadline and had threatened to kill the crew if it was not paid. Although shots were heard from the vessel late on Monday, the captain, who was in touch with the Ukrainian authorities, said the pirates fired in the air probably trying to scare the crew and negotiators.
Acting district commissioner of the Somali coastal town of Eyl, Ali Farah Warfa confirmed that the ship was released on Tuesday afternoon saying the ransom was shipped to 18 pirates armed with AK-47s and heavy machine guns, in Eyl, 2300 miles north of Mogadishu.
Mr Mwangura said MV Lehmann Timber had been held near the coastal village of Eyl while negotiations continued, stating that pirates has initially demanded over US $1 million ransom for the release of the ship and its crew members.
“In order not to prejudice the safety of any seafarers that might fall victim to such attacks in future, the owners will not comment on any aspect of the operation undertaken to release the crew of the Lehmann Timber,” the company said in a statement.
Lehmann Timber which was seized at the end of May was one of two ships hijacked during the same period along with the Turkish ship which was released in June off the Horn of Africa coast.
Somali authorities have criticised the practice of paying ransoms to pirates, saying that it only encourages more attacks on foreign ships.
The waters off the East African coast are considered among the most dangerous in the world, with cargo ships and luxury yachts being targeted by heavily armed pirates demanding ransom. Pirates are also targeting ships carrying food aid. According to the United Nations, 26 pirate attacks on civilian ships have occurred in the area since the start of this year.
Pirates are currently demanding US$2 million dollars for the release of a German couple seized on 23 June as they sailed through the Gulf of Aden on a trip from Egypt to Thailand. Kidnapping is said to be the first instance where sea robbers snatched a small vessel ferrying a non-militant crew.
The UN Security Council recently approved incursions into Somali waters to curb piracy, which the weak transitional government, currently engaged in countering a bloody insurgency, seems powerless to prevent.
Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991, when warlords overthrew Dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and turned on each other.
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